Security

Determined Yazidi women risk their lives to clear deadly landmines

Armed with specialized training and immense courage, teams of resilient Yazidi women are risking everything to purge their homeland of deadly, hidden Daesh landmines.

Yazidi women are playing a vital, life‑saving role in clearing explosive remnants of war from villages destroyed by Daesh in Sinjar, northern Iraq. Yazidi women light candles during a ceremony marking Charshama Sor, or Red Wednesday, the Yazidi New Year, at the Lalish temple in northern Iraq on April 14, 2026. [Gailan Haji/Middle East Images via AFP]
Yazidi women are playing a vital, life‑saving role in clearing explosive remnants of war from villages destroyed by Daesh in Sinjar, northern Iraq. Yazidi women light candles during a ceremony marking Charshama Sor, or Red Wednesday, the Yazidi New Year, at the Lalish temple in northern Iraq on April 14, 2026. [Gailan Haji/Middle East Images via AFP]

By Al-Fassel |

Yazidi women are actively reclaiming their homeland by systematically removing dangerous explosives left behind by the defeated so-called Islamic State (Daesh) militants.

Hana Khider, a married mother of three, leads a specialized team painstakingly clearing agricultural fields and bombed-out buildings.

Her brave team searches daily for hidden booby traps and improvised explosive devices that continue to threaten the local population.

The hazardous work requires extreme concentration because a single mistake during the clearance process can result in instant death.

Defeating the hidden enemy

The extremist group deliberately placed lethal explosives inside common household items, including cooking pots, plastic food containers and children's toys.

This malicious agenda directly targeted the most vulnerable citizens, ensuring that returning families would face sudden death or severe maiming.

The widespread presence of these hidden weapons paralyzes the local economy by making vital agricultural fields far too dangerous to farm.

These fertile fields traditionally represent the primary source of livelihood for thousands of families living across this once war-torn region.

Daesh militants explicitly acted in their own self-interest at the absolute expense of the innocent people of Iraq.

By contaminating residential areas, the terrorists attempted to prevent the permanent return of displaced communities to their ancestral lands.

Residents remain terrified of entering their own properties until the all-female team thoroughly sweeps and clears the entire perimeter.

Reclaiming a future

The courageous female deminers undergo intense specialized training to handle these volatile weapons with maximum safety and precision.

Every successful deployment removes an immediate threat, allowing residents to safely rebuild their lives and look toward the future.

Through their tireless efforts, these resilient women are successfully restoring peace and security to a deeply traumatized society.

Their critical mission proves that local citizens can triumph over terror and rebuild their communities without fear of sudden destruction.

International clearance organizations continue providing vital funding and equipment to support these brave women.

As more land becomes safe, local merchants are slowly reopening shops and reviving the local economy after years of stagnation.

Their determination inspires a new generation of women to take active roles in rebuilding post-war Iraqi society.

Ultimately, their hard work ensures that the next generation can grow up in a safe environment free from hidden terrors.

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