Analysis of Landmine Fatalities and Injuries in the Kurdistan Region

Abstract

This study analyzes landmine victim data in the Kurdistan Region during the period 1960 to 2005. A regression analysis is used to identify the determinants and impact of the probability of getting killed by mines and unexploded ordnances. The rates of killed/injured victims are explained using a set of socioeconomic variables. As the data are a repeated cross-section in which the individuals are observed when they are subjected to landmine incidents, and to account for the dynamic aspect of the process and heterogeneity by location as well as to control for unobserved location and time effects, a pseudo panel data are created where districts are observed over the entire time period forming a panel data. The results show that (a) males, children, and the elderly are more susceptible to a higher level of landmine risks; (b) landmine training and awareness programs do not reduce the rate of landmine mortality; and (c) the rate of incidents are declining over time. This result can be used in the planning, monitoring, and resource allocation for mine action, as well as labor market programs and rehabilitation activities.

The effect of explosive remnants of war on global public health: a systematic mixed-studies review using narrative synthesis

“…44 Retrospective and prospective surveillance data were collected using clinic-based and community-based questionnaires and surveys. An overall decrease occurred in injury and mortality rates caused by landmines or UXO across five studies 20,22,33,36,44 and an overall increase occurred in one. 21 On closer examination, injury and mortality rates fluctuated within studies.…”

“…16,29,32,66 Anxiety or depression was more prevalent in the group with a disability caused by landmines or UXO (82%) than in the group with a disabilty not caused by landmines or UXO (79%) in one study in Laos. 66 Injury and mortality rates were calculated in Chechnya, 20 Afghanistan, 21,22 Eritrea, 33 Kurdistan, 36 and eastern Burma. 44 Retrospective and prospective surveillance data were collected using clinic-based and community-based questionnaires and surveys.…”

“…22 More men were injured or killed by landmines or UXO than were women (0-30•6% women) (appendix pp 5-6). 13,16,[19][20][21][22]25,[28][29][30]33,36,38,41,42,46,50,51,53,55,56,58,[60][61][62]63,65 The mean ages of casualties (range 18•5 years to 38•1 years) in all included studies falls into the economically productive age range (15-64 years). 16,17,25,28,30,33,38,46,50,53,57,[55][56][57][58][59][61][62][63] This finding matches with the type of activity that the victim was doing at the time of injury and the economic effect on victims and their families.…”

“…16,17,25,28,30,33,38,46,50,53,57,[55][56][57][58][59][61][62][63] This finding matches with the type of activity that the victim was doing at the time of injury and the economic effect on victims and their families. Ten studies 19,20,22,25,36,50,56,60,61,63 provided data for the types of activities being done at the time of injury (table 4). Economically productive activities-farming and grazing livestock-had the highest prevalence at the time of injury by landmines or UXO in seven studies 20,22,25,50,56,60,61…”

A Retrospective Demographic and Clinicopathologic Review of Deaths Resulting from Minefield Explosions During Migrants’ Attempts to Enter Greece from Turkey Between 1997 and 2008

“…Fatalities due to landmine detonations are incidents anticipated during war between the countries involved. The devastating consequences of the residual mines in peacetime continue to be a persistent problem and thus are highlighted in this review . Fatalities among citizens occasionally occur due to minefield explosions, mainly involving children during their play .…”