Land mine contamination in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Landmine warning sign in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Land mine contamination in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a serious after effect of the Bosnian War which raged from 1992 until 1995. During this time period, all 3 conflicting factions (ARBiH, HVO, and VRS) have planted land mines near the current-day political entity borders, and as a result the country has had the most severe land mine problems in the world.

Land mine situation[]

Landmine situation in BiH in September 2008
A Norwegian deminer at work in Bosnia in 2007

Bosnia and Herzegovina's contamination with land mines stems exclusively from the 1992–95 war in the country. By 1996, some two million land mines and unexploded munitions littered Bosnia. By September 2013, land mines and unexploded munitions remained scattered in 28,699 locations. A total of 1,230.70 km² (2.4% of the country's territory) was mined.[1] Extensive landslides and the worst flooding since the 19th century, in May 2014, unearthed landmines prompting authorities to send in de-mining workers to locate and deactivate mines that were threatening residential areas.[2]

Land mine clearing is done by various government agencies and NGOs as well as some NATO military units. Between 1996 and 2017, more than 3,000 square kilometres have been cleared of mines. Bosnia and Herzegovina's strategic vision in 2008 was to clear all land mines by the year 2019. In April 2017, experts thought it would take at least five years longer, citing a lack of funds as the primary hurdle. 80,000 mines were estimated to be yet uncleared, located across 2.2% (1,125 km²) of the Bosnian territory.[3][4]

On 4 April, International Mine Awareness Day, the government, the UN and a number of other international and local NGOs inform citizens about the dangers of land mines and the efforts to clear them.[3]

Land mine casualties[]

From 1992 through 2008, 5,005 people were killed or injured by land mines or unexploded munitions. Wartime casualties stood at 3,339 killed and injured. Peacetime casualties, from 1996 through 2008 number 1,666 of which 486 persons were fatalities. From 1996 to 2017, more than 1,750 people were injured, at least 612 of them fatalities.[3]

Land mine casualties in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1996-2011
Year Killed Injured Total
1996 110 552 662
1997 88 202 290
1998 60 80 149
1999 38 57 95
2000 35 65 100
2001 32 55 87
2002 26 46 72
2003 23 31 54
2004 16 27 43
2005 10 9 19
2006 18 17 35
2007 8 22 30
2008 19 20 39
2009 9 19 28
2010 6 8 14
2011[5] 9 13 22
Totals 507 1,223 1,739

References[]

  1. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina mine situation September 2013". BH MAC. July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Landmines unearthed by shifting mud in flooded Balkans". Big News Network. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Igor Spaic (4 April 2017). "Bosnia 'Failing to Meet Landmine Removal Target'". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  4. ^ Matthew Clayfield (14 October 2017). "Bosnia and Herzegovina may never be clear of landmines". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Casualties Overview". The Monitor. 21 September 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2014.

External links[]

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