Saturday is the International Day for Mine Action

The International Day for Mine Action is observed worldwide on April 4, when this date was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as a date to draw the wider public's attention to this problem.

On the occasion of the observance of April 4, the Mine Action Centre in BiH once again draws attention to the long-term problem of mine contamination in BiH, and points to the need to intensify the search for additional funds for further clearing of BiH territory of mines, it was announced from the Centre, reports the Patria News Agency.

A general assessment of the mine situation in BiH conducted in 2012 identified 1,417 affected communities under the influence of mines/UXO.

Locations contaminated with mines/UXO directly affect the safety of about 540,000 citizens, or about 15% of the total population of BiH.

Since the beginning of demining operations in BiH in 1996, when the suspicious area was 4,200 km2, 3,324 km2 of area has been cleared to date through combined demining methods.

Approximately 59,800 anti-personnel mines, about 8,300 anti-tank mines, and about 54,300 units of UXO have been found.

In the period 2002-2014, about 490 million KM was invested in demining activities in BiH, and about 550 million KM is still needed to complete the process.

The most contaminated areas are the areas of Maglaj, Velika Kladuša, Orašje, Posavina, the Tuzla and Doboj regions, and the municipalities of Brod, Šamac, and Lopare.

The BHMAC warns that the beginning of the season for clearing and tidying up areas is regularly followed by the discovery of various UXO. In such cases, citizens should not take any initiative to remove mines themselves. It is necessary to inform the nearest representatives such as the Municipal Civil Protection, FUCZ, Police, or BHMAC.