Peace and Conflict Studies Commons^™

Reviving Old Mosul: 3d Modeling Aids Safe Clearance In Iraq, Erin Atkinson, Marc Dennehy, Craig Locke

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Under the 2014–2017 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupation, the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, served as a headquarters for the self-proclaimed caliphate. ISIS produced, stored, and transited money, modern munitions, weapons, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) through the city's ancient stone streets. To approach the immense and technically challenging task of clearing the Old City efficiently, effectively, and safely—without compromising the city's rich cultural history—Tetra Tech created a 3D model using aerial photogrammetry to quantify and visualize the scope and scale of the project.

Proof: How Tir Imaging Can Locate Buried Cluster Munitions In The Iraqi Desert, John Fardoulis, Xavier Depreytere, Jonathon Guthrie

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In this article, we follow on from our previous work published in The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction that proved how buried thirty-year-old legacy anti-personnel and anti-tank landmines could be located using thermal infrared (TIR) sensors in the Sahara Desert, northern Chad.¹ This time, the emphasis is on proving how the location of buried submunitions from cluster munition strikes in the desert of southern Iraq can be identified using TIR sensors.

National Capacity Building For Humanitarian Mine Action Activities In Iraq, Mark Wilkinson Phd

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In the last two years, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Iraq has conducted detailed research into its management and delivery of improvised explosive device (IED) clearance activities. Some of this research has already been published, providing a more detailed insight into how operational efficiency and effectiveness can be developed from models and tools derived from on-the-ground evidence. Much of this research has been shown to have real-world application. The purpose of this research has actually been quite simple: show that when methodologically sound observation and analysis are contextualized within an operational mine action environment there can be clear …

Mechanical Equipment In Ied Clearance: Observations From Iraq, Pehr Lodhammar, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mechanical equipment has been in the inventory of conventional military forces for the purposes of military engineering—including demining—since the Second World War. The integration of mechanical equipment into the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Iraq clearance activities may have therefore seemed a natural evolution from what might be considered ‘conventional’ mine clearance, yet it brought with it a number of issues. First, the absence of any clear doctrine for the use of mechanical equipment in improvised explosive device (IED) clearance generated resistance and criticism from specialist IED clearance companies operating at that time in Iraq. It was argued that …

Barrier Analysis And Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, Kim Fletcher, India Mcgrath

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In early 2020, The HALO Trust (HALO) in partnership with Al Ghad conducted a "barrier analysis" with youth in Mosul, Iraq to determine the constraints they faced in adopting safer behaviors related to explosive ordnance (EO). Through the barrier analysis, HALO and Al Ghad found that youth with lower perceived self-efficacy, beliefs that an EO accident would not likely result in severe consequences, and friends who encouraged unsafe behaviors were all more likely to engage in less safe behaviors than their counterparts were. The findings enabled HALO and Al Ghad to tailor their EORE messaging to these barriers in an …

Operationalized Management Information Systems In Iraq's Dma, Mark Steyn, Arie Claassens

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The perception of management information systems (MIS) often conjures up images of highly-technical tools requiring arcane development practices and data preparation rituals, but a simple solution providing easy access to the relevant data delivers a bigger impact than a highly technical tool gathering dust. The Iraq National Mine Action Authority has implemented an MIS application for use in the office and field to improve decision-making processes’ speed and quality.

The Lethality Index: Re-Conceptualizing Ied Clearance Planning And Delivery In Iraq, Mark Wilkinson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Explosive hazard clearance (EH) comes at a cost and, logically, with accountability expected as a quid pro quo both for those conducting and those funding clearance activities.[i] Today’s accountability problem arguably begins with the recognition that EH clearance, particularly in complex environments contaminated with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), differs radically from conventional mine action operations of the past, introducing various new factors that influence costs and cost-effectiveness. This, in turn, begs two questions: “What factors?” and “How are they measured?” Hence, before the mine action community can evaluate cost-effectiveness leading to accountability, it must first re-conceptualize clearance itself based …

Hma In The Gray Zone, Lt. Col. Shawn Kadlec

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

How do the military, other government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector cooperate with each other when they find themselves conducting mine action tasks typically considered the purview of each other’s sectors?

Educating Strategic Lieutenants At Sandhurst, An Jacobs

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This article examines how well military education at the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst delivers lieutenants capable of coping with the complexities of their operational environment and the strategic implications of their decisions.

Iraq: A Photo Essay, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG, Mines Advisory Group, has worked in Iraq since 1992 to make land safe for populations affected by decades of conflict. Landmines, cluster munitions, other unexploded bombs, as well as new contamination from the recent conflict with ISIS, have left a deadly legacy that prevents communities from using their land, and displaced populations from returning home safely.

Ied Threat Consistency And Predictability In Fallujah: A 'Simple' Model For Clearance, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

When in control of the area of Iraq north of Baghdad, including the city of Fallujah, ISIS prepared to defend its position from inevitable government counterattack through the widespread use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) laid as defensive obstacles in patterns similar to conventional minefields.¹ The subsequent destruction of bridges over the Tigris River further strengthened the ability of ISIS to defend the city and prevent the civilians trapped within from escaping.

Ieds And Urban Clearance Variables In Mosul: Defining Complex Environments, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

More than any other post-conflict environment in Iraq, the complexity of west Mosul and its improvised explosive device (IED) threat challenges our fundamental perceptions and definitions of mine action. From here, 400 km (248.5 mi) north of Baghdad in the al-Maedan District on the west side of the Tigris River, ISIS ran its caliphate and made its ill-fated last stand against attacking Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).

How Iraq Is Changing What We Do: Measuring Clearance In Urban Environments, Pehr Lodhammar

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Iraq is changing what we think, say, and do about mine action. The terms, standards, and measurements used by the humanitarian mine action (HMA) community need to be revised as Daesh remains a destabilizing influence. While the Al Maedam district of Mosul fell to Iraqi Security Forces in a ‘last battle’ on 10 July 2017, the government declared an official end to the conflict in Iraq on 10 December 2017. Whereas HMA followed the signing of the Dayton

The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 22.2 (2018), Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

FEATURE: Safe and Secure Management of Ammunition

in the SPOTLIGHT: IRAQ and SYRIA

Field Notes

Research and Development

Determining The Value Of Uavs In Iraq, Brad Alford, Edward Curran, Shawn Cole

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As areas of Iraq and Syria controlled by ISIS are liberated, internally displaced persons (IDP) are returning to their homes to face widespread destruction and contamination from deadly improvised explosive devices (IED) implanted by ISIS to maim, kill, and terrorize. Janus Global Operations (Janus) currently operates throughout Iraq, clearing IEDs with a focus on bringing critical infrastructure online to allow IDPs to return safely and resume their lives.

Operating in urban environments has proven challenging due to the high volume of destroyed buildings and associated rubble. In urban environments, operators are exposed to uncertain situations when traditional detection methods can …

The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 22.1 (2017), Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Editorial: The Evolution of PPE in HMA

Feature: BAC in Urban Areas

in the Spotlight: Europe

Field Notes

Research and Development

Field Notes

Bridging A Critical Mine Action Information Management Gap: Complex Conflict Environments, Isam Ghareeb Barzangy

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Historically the Republic of Iraq is one of the most severely landmine, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and improvised explosive device (IED) afflicted nations in the world. Though possessed with a robust humanitarian mine action (HMA) program in the three northern Kurdish governorates before the Iraq War (2003–2011), the remainder of the country was largely without any HMA focus until the removal of the Ba’ath regime. Iraq’s border with Iran contains major military minefields and ERW, while small arms and innumerable stockpiles of ammunition remain throughout the country. High levels of landmine, ERW, and IED contamination are a major challenge …

Mag: Clearing Improvised Landmines In Iraq, Chris Loughran, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG’s recent experience in the Middle East has shown that clearing improvised landmines can be achieved even in the most complex humanitarian contexts. It is imperative that detail and specificity is given to discussions on improvised devices if we are to avoid negative repercussions for the safety of beneficiaries and humanitarian workers.

Integrating Mre Into Humanitarian Responses In Iraq, Tammy Hall

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As a result of conflict in Iraq, the safety and well-being of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons is at stake due to explosive remnants of war (ERW). In order to mitigate that threat, the Danish Refugee Council enlisted the help of the Danish Demining Group to incorporate mine and ERW risk education into existing humanitarian efforts in Iraq.

Evolution Of Disability Rights In Iraq, Ken Rutherford, Megan Hinton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Due to the many years of conflict in Iraq, landmines and explosive remnants of war resulted in a large population of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities in Iraq lack adequate housing, medical care, educational opportunities and legislation protecting their rights. Now is the time to create the legal framework protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

Kurdistan’S Erbil Mine Action Center, Jamal J. Hussein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Erbil Mine Action Center (EMAC) of the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency increases mine risk education efforts in the spring to reduce high casualty rates during this season. EMAC also conducts landmine clearance in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Small-Arms And Light-Weapons Risk Education In Iraq, Meredith Wotten, Kirsty Jenatsch

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) has one of Iraq’s most established mine-risk education programs. In 2007, MAG identified a regional need to warn people, particularly children, about the risk of handling guns and other weapons. Drawing on more than 16 years of experience and skill in MRE delivery, MAG aimed to adapt existing methodologies and successfully expand the MRE program to include small-arms and light-weapons risks.

Basra, Iraq, Prosthetics Project, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Basra, Iraq, Prosthetics Project, has given new hope to the many amputees in Iraq. With thousands already affected by the aftermath of landmines and other explosive remnants of war in Iraq, the Basra Prosthetics Project is dedicated to giving amputees their independence and futures back, literally one step at a time.

Empowering Iraqis: Rehabilitation Training In Bosnia, Nikola Prvulov, Julie Miller

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses the role that aid workers from Bosnia have had in training Iraqi medical personnel to treat war injuries. It stresses the role that nongovernmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations have had in supporting these efforts and how countries affected by unexploded ordnance and landmines have tried to share their experience with other countries in need of training and assistance.

Iraq Mine And Uxo Clearance Organization, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For Iraq, being plagued by landmines is only one of the many problems that it is currently facing. The country also suffers from sectarian violence, internal instability and economic hardship. As the government transforms its mine-action policy, one organization, the Iraq Mine and UXO [Unexploded Ordnance] Clearance Organization, has proven itself to be a powerful force in addressing the urgent needs of the Iraqi community. Though it faces challenges itself, IMCO shows great promise for rebuilding Iraq and stands as a model for future Iraqi nongovernmental organizations.

Iraq Facing The Legacy Of Landmines And Explosive Remnants Of War, Salomon Schreuder

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In this article the author describes the recent history and current state of mine-action efforts in Iraq. The author argues for a larger focus on these issues and for a comprehensive approach, linking other humanitarian efforts with mine action.

Kurdish Landmine Plight Across And Along The Borders, Armin Köhli

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses the intricate global and internal conflicts that plague the Kurdish region with emphasis on the profound impact these conflicts have on mine action in this area of the Middle East.

Iraq, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since 2003, the government of Iraq has taken action against mines and unexploded ordnance. On 15 August 2007, Iraq acceded to the Ottawa Convention becoming the 155th State Party. The rising levels of violence in the region, however, have made focusing on mine action difficult for the Iraqi government—or anyone, for that matter. The decrease in security has taken focus, time and energy from ridding the country of its extensive problems with landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 11.2 (2008), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Focus: The Middle East and North Africa } Feature: The Environmental Impact of Demining | Notes from the Field | Research and Development

The Mine-Action Process In Iraqi Kurdistan, Jamal Jalal Hussein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency has been working to clear Kurdistan of landmines and unexploded ordnance that were placed by the former Iraqi government over the past 40 years and the Iranian Army during the Iran-Iraq War from 1980–1988. The Agency is overcoming many challenges and has cleared a vast number of minefields so the land can be handed back to the owners. Casualties from explosive remnants of war are extremely high but a new mine-risk-education program will inform people who live in dangerous areas how to minimize the threat of explosive remnants of war.