Afghanistan: 10 Deminers Killed in Gunmen Attack in Baghlan

At least 10 deminers from the HALO Trust organization were killed and 16 more were wounded in an attack by gunmen on their office in the northern province of Baghlan on Tuesday night, a security official who wished not to Read More …

Lebanon: Ministry of Defense inks two mine action agreements with UNDP, Dutch embassy

Lebanon’s Ministry of National Defense on Monday inked two mine action agreements with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Dutch Embassy in Lebanon. The agreement with the UNDP addresses the humanitarian and development impacts of mines, cluster munitions, Read More …

Magawa, a landmine-detecting rat, is retiring after five years of life-saving work in Cambodia

We all want to wind down when we reach retirement age – and it’s no different for landmine-sniffing rodent Magawa. After five years of hard work, the African giant pouched rat, known as a “hero rat”, is finishing work on Read More …

Cambodia: 15,000 landmines and UXOs destroyed in first four months

Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) destroyed 15,348 landmines and UXOs in the first four months of this year. The update was shared this afternoon by Heng Ratana, Director General of CMAC, highlighting that the move has freed over 35,652,000 square Read More …

Cambodia: Some 100 UXOs found in Choam Ksan district

Police in Preah Vihear province in collaboration with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)’s demining unit on Sunday removed 100 unexploded ordnances [UXOs] which were found buried in a villager’s farm at the Cambodian-Thai-Border in Choam Ksan district. Choam Ksan Read More …

Albanian EOD unit shows off U.S. donated equipment at Vlore Open Day

VLORE, Albania– The Albanian Armed Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit showed off U.S. donated equipment May 22, 2021, at a military sponsored open house in Vlore, Albania, held as part of DEFENDER-Europe 21 activities. During the event, U.S. Ambassador Read More …

Ethiopia appeals for International support to combat landmines

The government of Ethiopia appealed for international support in its effort to eradicate the Anti-Personnel Mines legacy concealed in different parts of the country as a result of previous armed conflicts. The appeal for support includes financial and technical assistance, Read More …

International NGO to demine 7 million sqm conservation area in Zimbabwe

APOPO, an NGO operating in countries where there are landmines left over from previous conflicts, is working on a grand-scale project that will help local communities and wildlife in Zimbabwe, clearing more than seven million square metres of land. The Read More …

The Women Clearing Iraq of Unexploded Munitions

“They say this job is dangerous, and that’s true – it’s 1,000 percent dangerous,” explained Hoda Khaled, 33, from the city of Basra in southeastern Iraq. Together with other 13 other women, Khaled is currently being trained to remove landmines Read More …

Cleaning up the mess: the deadly danger still left behind in Afghanistan

As the winter snow slowly retreated from the hills and villages of Bamiyan province in Afghanistan, a re-energised force stepped once more into the light. Like the rest of the country’s population, the people of this central province with an Read More …

Colombia: Demining in Colombia must remain a priority

Following the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action last month, ABColombia reflects on the ongoing presence of antipersonnel mines in Colombia. While mines may have been planted with the aim of reaching other armed groups or Read More …

Norway continues support for unexploded bombs clearance in Lao PDR

The HALO Trust and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) signed recently a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Laotian Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare represented by the National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector (NRA) in Lao. The signing Read More …

Fatal Solomon Is blast highlights key threat in country littered with bombs

A deadly explosion in the Solomon Islands capital has caused fear and confusion about the ongoing threat posed by hidden munitions left over from World War II. A central Honiara residential area was rocked on Sunday by the detonation of Read More …

Japan’s Contribution to Humanitarian Mine Action in Syria

With the support from the Government of Japan (USD 825,000), the United Nations Mine Action Service Syria Response Programme (UNMAS SRP) launched the new project “Humanitarian Mine Action to address increased threat associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria (31 Read More …

Azerbaijan’s Mine Action Agency eyes to purchase new mine clearance equipmentnew mine clearance equipment

The Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan plans to purchase new equipment for mechanical demining, an employee of the agency Musa Mammadov told Trend. According to Mammadov, the agency currently has six mechanical demining machines at its disposal. Read More …

Cambodia: Over 100 UXO units discovered in Battambang

More than 100 units of unexploded ordnances (UXO) were found by villagers in two districts and handed over to the Battambang provincial authorities for further action. Police More than 100 units of unexploded ordnances (UXO) were found by villagers in Read More …

UNMAS Iraq Programme Report 2020

Message from the Senior Programme Manager, Mr. Pehr Lodhammar What a tumultuous yet transformative and rewarding year it has been! When I look back at 2020, the challenges brought forth with the emergence and swift transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic Read More …