BAGHDAD, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said on Tuesday that the government of Canada has donated about 3.75 million U.S. dollars to support efforts and activities of the organization in Iraq.
A statement by UNMAS said "the presence of explosive hazards, including improvised explosive devices in areas retaken from the Islamic State (IS) group, continues to endanger the lives of women, men, boys, and girls and hinder the return of displaced communities."
The contribution will "strongly support the promotion of safe, orderly, voluntary, and sustainable return of internally-displaced persons back to their homes," the statement said.
Moreover, in order to enhance the institutional capacity, the Iraqi government entities will receive comprehensive training and up-to-date tools that are internationally recognized and abide by global standards, it said.
"This paves the way for future self-reliance and equips Iraqis with a well-established system to mitigate the threat posed by explosive hazards," it added.
IS militants have planted thousands of landmines in areas they once seized by the extremist group. Despite the efforts of the Iraqi security forces, many liberated areas still require exerting more effort to clear the landmines to guarantee safe return for displaced people to their homes.
According to UN figures, more than 1.5 million Iraqi people are still displaced despite nearly two years after Iraq declared victory over IS group.
