The United Nations (UN) has emphasized that Libya faces major challenges related to mines and war remnants, which threaten the lives of civilians and hinder development, and that getting rid of them requires tremendous work, noting that there are more than 444 million square meters still contaminated with mines and war remnants.
The Chief of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSML) Mine Action Section Fatma Zourrig indicated that the areas contaminated by mines are estimated at more than 444 million square meters, equivalent to 64% of the lands exposed to the dangers of these remnants, while survey operations are still ongoing, which may increase this number.
Zourrig pointed out that accidents related to unexploded ordnance have resulted in the deaths of 16 people since the beginning of 2024, including children, compared to only two cases during 2023.
Regarding the estimation of the duration of mine clearance, the UN official explained that experts believe that clearing Libyan lands of war remnants could take around 15 years if the work continues without interruption.
Zourrig explained that the United Nations is working in cooperation with the Libyan Mine Action Center to develop a national strategy that aims to enhance coordination between Libyan parties and organize work in this field.
She stressed that achieving this goal requires a continuous commitment from all parties, given the ongoing challenges in the country, which include the re-contamination of some areas due to security incidents, calling for intensified cooperation between government institutions and the local community to ensure the safety of civilians.
