SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS:

The programme continued to reduce risk to vulnerable communities and support conflict recovery and rehabilitation by implementing Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) and Small Arms Light Weapons (SALW) projects in Dahok, Diyala, Erbil, Kirkuk, Ninewah, and Sulimaniyah governorates.

- MAG teams searched and cleared 386,358 square metres of land using hand, electronic, and visual techniques safely removing and destroying 1,056 hazardous items. Teams demarcated an additional 512,500 sq/m of land.

- Mine Risk Education (MRE) teams delivered 88 MRE sessions reaching 3,029 individuals in 28 villages across the northern governorates.

- Community Liaison (CL) teams identified 120 dangerous areas. They conducted community assessments in 4 villages.

- 8 SALW emergency teams deployed to 196 tasks during July, destroying 5,707 items of SALW.

- Mechanical assets were used to clear 94,325 sq/m of land and processed 6,285 cubic metres of soil.

OPERATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

MAG has developed a compound and accommodation within Chamchamal base to support Mine Detection Dog (MDD) teams in partnership with Marshall Legacy Institute.

Partnership continued with the Iraqi Health and Social Care Organization IHSCO to support the delivery of MRE, collection of victim casualty data and victim assistance in central and southern Iraq.

DEMINING & CLEARANCE OPERATIONS

Diyana sector: MATs searched and cleared 152,497 sq/m of contaminated land destroying a total of 179 hazardous items. They demarcated 150,000 sq/m of land. MAG's teams in Diyana continued work on 6 ongoing tasks in support of socio-economic rehabilitation and agricultural development.

Dahok sector: MATs searched and cleared 128,469 sq/m of contaminated land, removing and destroying 71 hazardous items to support of socio-economic rehabilitation. Teams started working on 1 new clearance operation. Operations continued on 5 prioritised tasks, in support of IDP resettlement, conflict recovery, and infrastructure development. Three minefields were handed back to the community. One of these cleared areas will be used to build a new road linking the three governorates.

Chamchamal sector: MATs searched and cleared 67,689 sq/m of contaminated land. Teams removed and destroyed 84 hazardous items. Teams demarcated an additional 250,000 sq/m of land. Teams completed clearance on one contaminated area and continued working on 5 ongoing tasks in support of infrastructure development. Teams started work on one new clearance operation.

Sulimaniyah sector: MATs searched and cleared 37,703 sq/m of contaminated land. 112,500 sq/m was demarcated in the month of July. Teams removed and destroyed 722 hazardous items. MATs continued working on 5 tasks. Teams completed one clearance task and started clearance on a site in support of agricultural development and tourism.

Mechanical assets: Teams deployed across northern Iraq to support MATs and improve the efficiency of operations. Assets were used to clear 94,325 sq/m of land and excavate 5,780 cubic metres and sift 505 cubic metres of contaminated soil. Teams also prepared 94,300 sq/m of land to be cleared by MATs. Technical mechanics worked on building and developing a new sifter unit for the programme.

SMALL ARMS LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW) EMERGENCY RESPONSE

4 dedicated CL teams deployed from Dahok, Diyana, Sulimaniyah and Chamchamal sectors to identify and prioritise instances of SALW contamination for removal and destruction.

CL teams in started SALW awareness project, which aims to warn children and other vulnerable groups about the dangers of SALW. A children's activity book, as well as posters and leaflets, were specially designed to support the project.

8 SALW emergency teams deployed to 196 tasks supporting regional security and conflict recovery during the month of July.

Teams destroyed 5,707 items of SALW in July, with over 56,500 items now destroyed as part of the SALW project.

Tasks included an urgent request from a museum director in Sulimaniyah who suspected that a display of military vehicles contained live items. Teams deployed and successfully removed and destroyed 21 hazardous items.

COMMUNITY LIAISON (CL)

Teams identified 120 dangerous areas in 36 villages that pose a threat to resident communities and block socio-economic development.

MAG CL teams conducted community assessments in 4 villages in Erbil governorate. MAG's community assessment process to enables better prioritisation and impact assessment.

MINE RISK EDUCATION (MRE)

MRE teams delivered 88 MRE sessions in 28 villages reaching 3,029 vulnerable individuals in Erbil, Sulimaniyah, Dahok and Mosul governorates.

MAG Iraq continued its partnership with the Ministry of Education. MAG CL teams continued training teachers in Dahok, Erbil, Kirkuk and Sulimaniyah in MRE delivery to build the sustainable capacity for MRE across the region. Over 2,800 teachers were trained during July.

Teams worked in Erbil governorate to provide MRE to community and religious leaders, who will start delivering MRE to their communities.

DONORS

MAG would like to express gratitude to the following donors to the Iraq programme: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State; Irish Aid; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Netherlands; SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).

For more information on MAG's work in Iraq, please visit www.maginternational.org/iraq