Iraq: Clearance Operations on a massive IED belt in Tal Kaif, North of Mosul

After eight months of operations conducted by UNMAS implementing partner, Global Clearance Solutions (GCS), in Tal Kaif, north of Mosul, over 250,000 square meters of contaminated land were cleared, and more than 1,200 items of explosive ordnance rendered safe and removed. The farmlands of Tal Kaif are steadily witnessing glimpses of everyday activities after years of war and explosive contamination.

With its primarily agricultural land and diverse population of Assyrians and Muslims, Tal Kaif witnessed heavy destruction during and after the war with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). It was assessed that the area had been used by ISIL to create a defensive line consisting of a berm and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) running around the perimeter of the city. Post liberation, agricultural areas remain extensively contaminated with IED belts, which led to risky agricultural activities and thus a decrease in livelihood opportunities, effectively hampering local economic recovery.