Land mines have claimed 14,000 lives in Iraq…

The United Nations says land mines are obstructing human and economic development of the country.

The U.N. estimates that up to 14,000 Iraqis might have been killed by land mines since 1991, when former leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and 2007.

In a new report, the U.N. Development Program says there are more land mines in the war-torn country than perhaps anywhere else in the world.

Iraq’s Environment Ministry says there might be more than 25 million unexploded ordnances, remnants of the so many wars waged in the region.

“They (land mines) are available in fertile land, desert, orchards, oil fields, railways and plateaus,” the ministry says.

It says Iraq lacks the expertise and financing to clear up its mine fields.
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