News – March 2025


  • UK: Teenager, 18, charged with making ‘variety of homemade explosives’ in Wandsworth

    March 26, 2025

    A man has been charged with making a “variety” of homemade weapons and explosives in Wandsworth. Sakhile Ntsele, 18, of Wandsworth Road, has been charged with 29 offences in total all relating to possessing firearms or explosives, with new charges being put forward on March 13. Ntsele was initially arrested following an incident at his home ...

  • New Frontlines and an Uncertain Future for Mine Clearance in Colombia

    March 26, 2025

    Nearly a decade after the landmark 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian government and a communist guerilla group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the prevalence of landmines remains a critical issue in the country. As mine clearance efforts turn toward active conflict zones in Colombia where humanitarian law is disregarded, buried and ...

  • €5m German boost for HALO landmine clearance in Syria

    March 26, 2025

    HALO’s programme will expand to save lives across the country in response to soaring accidents caused by explosives The German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) supports the HALO Trust in Syria with a €5M grant to boost vital mine clearance efforts as tens of thousands of people return to reclaim their pre-war homes and cultivate their fields. ...

  • Vietnam to build strategy for education on bomb, mine accident prevention

    March 26, 2025

    The Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC) on March 26 organised a workshop on building a national strategy for education on bomb and mine accident prevention by 2030, with a vision to 2050. In his opening speech, Colonel Le Quang Hop, VNMAC Deputy General Director, stated that immediately after the complete liberation of the South in ...

  • Beyond the Bomb Suit: An Airman’s Legacy of Courage and Leadership

    March 26, 2025

    Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas — Senior Master Sgt. Riemer, Senior Enlisted Leader of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal, EOD, Division at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, AFCEC, is more than just a leader of 1,700 Airmen. His career is punctuated by moments of extraordinary courage and decisive action, demonstrating bravery beyond the call of duty. ...

  • Nigeria: Cache of arms seized from Rivers pipeline bombing suspects

    March 26, 2025

    A cache of arms has been seized by the military. This followed the foiling of a plan to bomb another oil pipeline in Rivers State. Eight suspects have been arrested. A joint security force set up following the March 18 emergency rule declaration thwarted attempts by miscreants to attack the oil facility. Six people held by ...

  • Russian TV journalist killed by landmine near Ukraine border

    March 26, 2025

    A Russian state TV journalist was killed and her cameraman was seriously injured by a landmine in Russia’s Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine, state television said on Wednesday. War correspondent Anna Prokofieva and cameraman Dmitry Volkov ran over a landmine planted by the Ukrainian military, the Pervy Kanal TV channel said in a statement. ...

  • New understanding cements continued UNIFIL support in demining in south Lebanon

    March 25, 2025

    UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday, renewing the UN peacekeeping mission’s support for humanitarian and operational demining in the UNIFIL area of operations in south Lebanon. UNIFIL Chief of Staff Major General Jean-Jacques Fatinet and the Director of the LAF’s Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC), Brigadier General ...

  • Pennsylvania: Man accused of hurling explosive in front of Central Berks patrol vehicle

    March 25, 2025

    A Mount Penn man faces several charges after Central Berks Regional police said he threw an explosive device in the street just ahead of a marked patrol vehicle. Joseph R. Crochunis Jr., 37, of the 2600 block of Perkiomen Avenue was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail after arraignment Saturday before District ...

  • Czechia: Explosion in munitions warehouse injures one in Polička arms plant

    March 25, 2025

    An explosion rocked the premises of Poličské strojírny in eastern Czechia on Monday morning. According to emergency services, the blast occurred in a munitions warehouse, seriously injuring one person who was airlifted to a hospital in Olomouc. Eleven fire units responded, and the site was evacuated. Authorities declared the third highest emergency level. A nearby road ...

  • Somalia: ISIS attack in Puntland kills one soldier, injures nine

    March 25, 2025

    At least one Puntland soldier was killed, and nine others were injured in an attack by ISIS militants in the Xabley area of Ufayn district, Bari region, on Monday night. The attack, which took place in the Dhaban-Qooxle area of the Xabley mountains, began when militants targeted a Puntland forces base. Puntland forces reportedly repelled the ...

  • Britain urged to join allies in pulling out of landmine treaty

    March 25, 2025

    Britain has been urged to withdraw from the key landmine and cluster bomb treaties to counter the deteriorating global security situation, former defence secretary Ben Wallace has said. With Russia’s military might growing and the US disengaging from Nato, Mr Wallace said that unless the treaties were updated, “we must leave them”. A key driver argued ...

  • FBI launches task force targeting anti-Tesla ‘domestic terrorism’

    March 25, 2025

    The FBI announced on Monday the creation of a task force intended to “crack down on violent Tesla attacks,” a move that follows a spate of such incidents appearing to target Elon Musk’s electric car manufacturer. Acts of violence and vandalism have been seen for months against Tesla vehicles and facilities, such as charging stations, alongside ...

  • UK: Army ‘safely’ explode WWII bomb near Parkgate, Rotherham

    March 25, 2025

    A 100m cordon, which was in place as a precaution near Stonerow Way in Rotherham, was lifted yesterday evening, several hours after it had been put in place following the discovery of a ‘suspected explosive device’ from the Second World War. South Yorkshire Police were called to the area at around 2pm after the item ...

  • Israel: IDF begins conducting ground operations in Syria

    March 25, 2025

    The IDF confirmed that “several terrorists” opened fire upon troops from southern Syria on Tuesday morning. The soldiers then returned fire, and the Israel Air Force struck targets in the region, the military added, stating that there were confirmed hits on terror targets. According to Syrian reports, the IDF launched a ground advance toward the village ...

  • UK: Firefighters in ‘marauding terror attack’ training

    March 24, 2025

    The Westminster terror attack of 22 March 2017 was one of three incidents in the past 10 years in London that have led to a greater emphasis on training for the capital’s emergency services. This week, firefighters, police officers and paramedics have been taking part in an exercise in Colchester, Essex, to test their ability to ...

  • Nigeria: Three injured as undetonated IED explodes in Yobe

    March 24, 2025

    At least three people have been hospitalized after an undetonated Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. The explosion occurred on Saturday in Ngomari Community, Buni Yadi, the headquarters of Gujba LGA. Boko Haram terrorists have a history of using IEDs to carry out attacks in the region, leaving behind ...

  • Texas: ‘Incendiary device’ found at Austin Tesla showroom

    March 24, 2025

    Incendiary devices were found at an Austin Tesla showroom on Monday morning, according to a news release from the Austin Police Department. APD officers responded to a call at the Tesla showroom on North U.S. 183 at 8:04 a.m. Monday and found “suspicious devices” upon their arrival, according to the release. The devices were later determined ...

  • Vietnam: US-funded mine action demolition training range inaugurated in Hà Nội

    March 24, 2025

    Deputy Defence Minister, General Phùng Sĩ Tấn, Deputy Commanding General of Homeland Affairs for US Army Pacific (USARPAC) Major General Lance Okamura, and US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Knapper on Monday presided over the official handover ceremony of the Ba Vì Humanitarian Mine Action Demolition Training Range. The facility, worth over US$700,000, spanning over 2 ...

  • Colorado: Police find dozens of explosives after grass fire in eastern Colorado Springs

    March 23, 2025

    A small grass fire was extinguished early Sunday morning, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. Officers were reportedly dispatched to the 3600 Block of Oro Blanco Drive at 12:54 a.m. after receiving reports of multiple explosions. Officers reportedly found a small grass fire which was extinguished by the Colorado Springs Fire Department. After searching the ...

  • Kenya: Six police personnel killed by suspected al Shabaab fighters in Garissa

    March 23, 2025

    At least six police personnel were killed in Kenya while four were injured in an attack on a police camp by suspected Islamist militants in Garissa county in the country’s east on the border with Somalia, police said. The assault which occurred early Sunday was carried out by suspected fighters from Somalia’s al Qaeda-allied al Shabaab ...

  • Pakistan: Three injured as IED goes off in Wana

    March 23, 2025

    Three people were injured when an improvised explosive device went off in Rustam Bazaar in Wana, Lower South Waziristan district, on Saturday. The blast occurred near the car of a local elder, Noorgai Wazir, who remained unhurt. Three people travelling with him in the car suffered injuries. The injured people were shifted to the District Headquarters ...

  • Ukraine: Explosion at police building in Odesa region, SSU opens terrorist attack case

    March 23, 2025

    The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has classified the explosion at the police building in Odesa region as an attempted terrorist attack and opened a criminal investigation. According to investigators, the explosion occurred at about 6 p.m. today after a woman entered the police department with a package that could have contained explosives. The woman was ...

  • India: IED alert sounded as threat spikes with new camps in core areas

    March 23, 2025

    An alert has been sounded in the anti-Naxal operations theatre of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand following a “spike” in IED blasts and recoveries, including that of a device rigged with beer bottles and a small antenna for remote control explosion, officials said. The analysis report states that during 2020-22, IEDs were being planted by Naxals in a ...