The United Nation’s body on action against landmines has estimated the cost for removing landmines and explosives from the city of Mosul was US$50 million, after the same cost was estimated for clearing explosives from the whole country, IraqiNews reported.
“Looking at the contamination in Mosul we will need $50 million and $50 million for the rest of the country,” Paul Heslop, chief of planning and management section, U.N. Mine Action Service (UNMAS), told Reuters.
This puts into perspective just how much ISIS mined the city before Iraqi forces launched their offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city.
“I could see Iraq needing an Afghanistan-style (demining) operation, which at its peak was 15,000 people about five years ago. You could put 5,000 on the ground in Iraq and they would be gainfully employed,” said Heslop.
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