Somalia may take many years to clear land mines placed to fight Al-Shabaab
CISR
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(The East African) Somalia may take many years to clear land mines that were placed to fight against Al-Shabaab militants amid decades of insecurity.
As the world marked International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on April 4, the UN in Somalia said the rising number of victims of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the country is a major challenge for a country trying to rebuild.
Last year, there were 669 casualties of IEDs and explosive remnants of war, up from 501 recorded in 2020. James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s special representative for Somalia said the organisation would continue to support freeing Somalia from explosive hazards.