KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Khaled did not know that the iron piece his children found while tending their flock in the countryside of Kobani in northern Syria would cause his desperation.
Khaled al-Hewies is an IDP, who comes from the countryside of Hama, and a father of four.
Early in September, the four children were injured in a land mine explosion that had been planted earlier in Kobani.
Al-Hewies told North Press he had no idea of mines, “We did not know that such a piece of iron that my children brought home would explode. We thought it was just a piece of iron.”
People in Kobani and its countryside are perturbed by war remnants that spread everywhere in agrarian lands. They demand specialized teams be sent to remove them at a time work by NGOs has been reduced immensely.
Land mines left by the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) during its invasion of Kobani still pose threats to the locals’ lives.
Though ISIS was expelled from Kobani early in 2015, the equipment it planted still claim lives of locals and cause material damage to the people of Kobani and its countryside amid “disregard” by the concerned international organizations.
On September 7, four children were injured by an explosion of an old charge. These were children of al-Hewies.
He said, while trying to hold back, “My children were severely injured, the elder one aged 10 has a leg and a hand amputated, the other one is 6 had hemorrhage. He is now in the intensive care. And two daughters sustained injures of different levels.”
According to Human Rights Organizations in the Euphrates region, the majority of victims of the war remnants are children. Six children lost their lives since January 2022.
After a landmine exploded in a tractor, 68-year-old Nebo Muslim passes through his field carefully. He walks so carefully and slowly, expecting to come across a mine. However, something else happened.
Destiny had something else for Muslim who was injured by a land mine, and he was about to die.
He told North Press that a mine planted in the field exploded. He had shrapnel in his neck which could have caused him to die.
In November 2021, a tractor driver was hit by a land mine while he was plowing his land in the western countryside of Kobani.
In August 2021, Ramco Mine Action Organization removed 51 shells and war remnants planted by ISIS in the western countryside of Kobani.
RAMCO is a non-governmental organization that works in coordination with the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, to remove mines and remnants of war in the regions of northeast Syria.
Muslim called on concerned bodies and specialized organizations to clear agrarian lands of war remnants due to the grave dangers they pose to the lives of people of the region.
A Human Rights Organization in the Euphrates region says demining has become urgent and necessary due to dangers posed to the lives of people in the region.
Ahmad Dawood, Co-chair of the organization told North Press “In 2021 nine injuries were reported five of which were children who lost their lives.”
He added, “Since early 2022, six have been injured, all children. These remnants have been planted since 2015 when the ISIS attacked the city. They still remain with no action taken by the concerned organizations.”
“These mines have become a real danger posed to the lives of locals. Concerned bodies and specialized organizations should intervene to find solutions and remove mines,” he pointed out.
Mines in Kobani date back to the rule of ISIS while others were planted in different periods on the Syrian-Turkish border.
In September 2021, two children lost their lives as they were tending their sheep in the village of Seftek, some 10 km in west of Kobani near the border with Turkey.