Iraq
Iraq sits right in the centre of the Middle East. It borders six countries and the Persian Gulf.
HALO has been working in Iraq since 2018. Our focus has been on clearing explosives and training local people to stay safe.
Situation in Iraq
Iraq is one of the most heavily-mined countries in the world.
Cities like Fallujah are surrounded by a long barrier of home-made mines.
The 2014 to 2017 conflict with ISIS caused immeasurable damage and forced four million people to flee their homes.
Many people were displaced for years as their homes and villages were contaminated with explosives.
Mohsen and his family were forced to abandon their home when it was badly damaged in the fighting. He has eight children and is worried for their safety. They won’t return until the explosives have been cleared from their backyard.
HALO's work and impact in Iraq
HALO was approved to operate in Iraq in May 2018. We've employed and trained more than 150 Iraqi men and women since then.
Our work is focused in Baiji and Tikrit, clearing buildings and streets so that people can return home and schools can re-open. Our survey teams are also recording and mapping threats.
One of our first jobs was to identify a safe route for children to take to school. We're also teaching children and parents how to stay safe in areas that are littered with explosives.
Safaa is a team leader for HALO Iraq. She led a team of women and men clearing explosives across Salah al-Din, so that displaced families could return home and rebuild their lives. As a woman in Iraq, her career choice was unusual. She led the way as our first female staff member to achieve her Explosive Ordnance Level 3 qualification.
Other HALO programmes in the Middle East
HALO's work in Iraq is funded by:
