BASRA, Iraq — The area surrounding the long border between Iraq and Iran conceals much of the tragedy of the eight-year war the two countries fought from 1980 to 1988. Beneath the ground where tens of thousands of people cross in both directions lie more than 20 million landmines, most of them in Iraq. They pose a serious threat to the lives of those who survived the war and those born after it. 

Ammar, who recently celebrated his 10th birthday, lost the sight in one of his eyes, while his brother Hasan suffered an even worse fate near their house near Shalamja.

“The boys wanted to go play after coming home from school,” Said Ali, their older brother, told Al-Monitor. “They walked a few meters, and something went off.” They had no idea there were mines and cluster bombs in the vicinity.

“We were later told by authorities that they were from the Iraq-Iran War,” Said Ali stated. “Ammar lost one eye, and Hasan, who’s older, lost both. We tried to treat them here in Iraq, but it wasn’t possible. We had to take them to India, but we didn’t continue the treatment, because we didn’t have enough money.”