Zanjan: Fourteen forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have been killed in Zanjan Province, northwest Iran, after unexploded remnants from the recent US-Israeli war detonated during a clearance operation.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the incident happened on Friday, leaving two people injured. Teams from the force were neutralizing cluster munitions and similar ordnance contaminating over 1,200 hectares, including farmland, the statement said. Such weapons, banned under international conventions, often leave unexploded fragments that remain dangerous for years.

Many of the devices were highly sensitive and buried up to three meters underground, making detection extremely risky, the statement read. It said 14 members of the IRGC of Zanjan lost their lives when unexploded munitions detonated.

According to the statement, specialized teams have cleared over 15,000 unexploded munitions since US-Israeli airstrikes were ceased on April 7.