A TNT blast in Duhok claimed the life of a young shepherd. The explosion occurred in the Amedi district, located in the mountainous north of Kurdistan Region. Local health officials quickly confirmed the tragic details.
According to Masoud Boti, deputy director of Duhok’s health directorate, the victim was brought to the hospital around 9:20 am. He was already dead by the time he arrived. Boti stated that the victim, a 20-year-old Arab shepherd from Nineveh province, had died instantly due to the force of the explosion.
Jabar Mustafa, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), confirmed that the explosion was triggered by TNT. He explained that the area where the incident occurred had already been marked as off-limits. The ongoing conflict between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Turkey had made the zone hazardous. Unfortunately, the shepherd entered the area without knowing the dangers, resulting in a fatal outcome.
The TNT blast in Duhok is part of a much broader and troubling issue in the region. For decades, the Kurdistan Region and Iraq have dealt with deadly remnants of past wars. These include landmines and unexploded ordnance left from the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the 2003 invasion, and the brutal occupation by the Islamic State group.
Even more recently, battles between Turkey and the PKK have filled border regions with new explosive threats. Some of these hidden dangers lie just a few hundred meters from homes, fields, and villages. Many people, especially shepherds and farmers, unknowingly walk into these zones.
In May, the PKK officially announced its dissolution and disarmament following calls by its founder Abdullah Ocalan. The group held a symbolic disarmament event on July 11, where fighters destroyed their weapons. However, the physical remnants of past conflicts still remain.
Currently, nearly 40 percent of mine-contaminated lands in the Kurdistan Region are uncleared. This includes nearly 250 million square meters of dangerous terrain. These vast contaminated zones continue to endanger civilians daily.
So far in 2025, explosions have killed at least four people and injured three more across the region. Most of these incidents occurred in areas with poor signage or in zones where locals were unaware of the risk.
Efforts to reduce the threat are ongoing. The Iraqi Directorate for Mine Action (DMA) and IKMAA signed a memorandum of understanding in 2024. The agreement outlines their cooperation through 2028, focusing on clearing mines and sharing technical resources.
Still, the threat lingers. The TNT blast in Duhok is a grim reminder that explosive remnants of war continue to take lives. As authorities work to clear these deadly hazards, public awareness and caution remain vital.
Without rapid clearance and stronger awareness campaigns, more lives may be lost to this invisible danger. The TNT blast in Duhok should serve as a wake-up call to intensify mine-clearing efforts and protect civilians from these ongoing threats.