Latest news with #InternationalDayforMineAwarenessandAssistanceinMineAction
Arab News
06-04-2025
- General
- Arab News
KSrelief restores hope in war-affected regions
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has made significant efforts over the years to respond to humanitarian crises, conflicts, and natural disasters worldwide. KSrelief has implemented demining projects in Yemen, Azerbaijan and Iraq, valued at more than $241 million, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Project Masam in Yemen has cleared 486,651 land mines and unexploded ordnance since its launch in mid-2018, according to a recent report. This total is made up of 325,378 items of unexploded ordnance, 146,285 anti-tank mines, 8,212 improvised explosive devices, and 6,776 anti-personnel mines, according to Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the project's managing director. 'Every mine removed is a life potentially saved, a home reclaimed, a future restored. Demining is not just about removing explosives; it is about restoring hope, stability, and economic recovery,' Al-Gosaibi said. Last week, the project's teams destroyed 511 unexploded items, 23 anti-tank mines, six anti-personnel mines, and three improvised explosive devices. Mines planted indiscriminately by the Houthis in Yemen pose a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly. The project is executed by Saudi personnel and international experts, with a team of 550 staff and 32 trained clearance teams working to remove various types of mines and ordnance, the SPA reported. Operations have taken place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada. The initiative also trains local demining engineers and equips them with modern tools. KSrelief also supports Yemenis injured by explosive devices. It has established a prosthetics program that so far has benefited 25,340 individuals. The program sets out to restore hope to mine victims by providing high-quality prosthetics and training local staff in manufacturing techniques. The total value of prosthetics projects in Yemen exceeds $39 million, according to SPA. Since the conflict began, about 5 million people have been displaced in Yemen, many the result of land mines. Masam teams work to clear villages, roads and schools, enabling the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid. On April 4, KSrelief marked International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action by raising awareness about the dangers of landmines and calling for increased efforts to combat them, protect lives, build capacities in affected countries, and ease victims' suffering. Al-Gosaibi said: 'As one mine is cleared, dozens more are planted. This is not just a battle against explosives in the ground — it is a battle against the cycle of terror and suffering imposed on Yemeni civilians. 'We stand alongside millions of Yemenis to protect them from the imminent danger these weapons pose to their lives.' KSrelief's efforts to combat landmines extend beyond Yemen. In January 2024, the agency created financial grants to support landmine clearance in Azerbaijan, aiding reconstruction efforts and helping displaced people return home. The goal is to improve the environment, protect civilians — especially women and children — build local capacities, ensure safe living conditions, maintain public health, and reduce the long-term impact of landmines on communities. In April 2024, KSrelief also funded survey and clearance projects for cluster munitions and landmines in several Iraqi governorates. The initiative aims to create a safe, mine-free environment, enhance security, support livelihoods such as farming and livestock herding, and contribute to Iraq's economic recovery.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hero rat sets Guinness World Record for detecting landmines
Landmines remain an ever present danger on battlefields. That's for both soldiers in an active conflict and civilians once a war is over. Millions of anti-personnel landmines are buried around the world, and while groups work to remove them safely, in recent years they've turned to a novel tool to help: Rats. And one rat based out of Cambodia has now detected more landmines than any other rat in history. Meet Ronin. Ronin has detected 109 landmines and 15 items of unexploded ordnance since 2021. That's according to both APOPO, the charity that trained the African giant pouched rat, and the Guinness Book of World Records, which declared Ronin the new record holder. He's currently working in Preah Vihear Province in Cambodia, one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records announced Ronin's achievement on April 4, which happens to be both International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action and World Rat Day — yes that is a thing. Ronin, who works with a handler in the field, set the record for work done between August 2021-February 2025. He's one of dozens of specially trained rodents active in locating landmines for demining efforts. That work, the Guinness Book of World Records said in a statement, 'is making a tangible difference to people who have been blighted for decades by the fear that one misstep while going about their day-to-day lives could be their last.' Rats such as Ronin are trained to sniff out chemicals in the explosives. Their hard work also lets them cover distances at a quicker rate than a human with a metal detector, according to researchers. That sense of smell also means they focus on chemical compounds, and don't get potentially misled by random bits of metal. They're also trained on a grid system, and when in the field, their small size allows them to find and get to the landmines without setting them off. Ronin and other rats work only 30 minutes each day. Cambodia remains one of the most heavily mined locations in the world, with estimates of 4 million to 6 million landmines still buried in the earth from conflicts in the country between the 1960s-1990s. Despite years of effort, and millions already deactivated and removed, they remain a persistence danger, causing injury and death. Ronin's record includes 38 more mines than the previous record holder, Magawa. In a five-year career, Magawa detected 71 landmines and 38 other unexploded ordnance in Cambodia. In 2020, he was awarded a gold medal from a veterinary charity for his efforts. Magawa died in 2022 at the old age of eight. Despite several years of international diplomacy aimed at stopping the spread of landmines, such as the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, and removing them, mines still litter dozens of countries. Many of those are not experiencing active conflicts, but people are still at risk from the mines. Those 'Hegseth bodyguards' are actually there for the Air Force's 'Doomsday' plane Army wants junior officers to fix quality-of-life issues that drive soldiers out '100% OPSEC' apparently means texting military plans to a reporter Ranger School's new fitness test is tougher than ever, but nixes sit-ups This photo of Air Force special ops pool training is chaos. There's a reason for that.
Shafaq News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
UN: Landmines in Iraq affected over 300 children
Shafaq News/ Landmines and explosive remnants of war remain a severe threat in Iraq, with children among the most vulnerable, according to United Nations agencies. On the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, marked on April 4, official UN reports revealed that in the past five years, at least 314 children have been killed or injured by explosive ordnance. 'The mission of the United Nations Mine Action Service in Iraq is to promote safety and to provide opportunities for stability and sustainable development," said Pehr Lodhammar, Chief of Mine Action Programme for UNMAS in Iraq. "UNMAS will continue to support the Government of Iraq and the Directorate for Mine Action in addressing the explosive ordnance contamination and will spare no effort to pave the way for a safe and dignified return of Iraqi displaced people and productive use of the land.' Despite ongoing efforts by national and international organizations, the reports considered Iraq is still one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world. More than 2,700 square kilometers of land remain affected by explosive hazards, posing a significant risk to civilians, hindering economic recovery, and obstructing safe access to schools and essential services. UNICEF echoed the call for urgent action. 'Every child has the right to a safe and secure childhood—free from the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war,' said Sandra Lattouf, UNICEF Representative in Iraq. 'These hidden dangers not only endanger lives but also deprive children of their rights to play, learn, and thrive.' UNMAS and UNICEF reiterated their commitment to working alongside the Iraqi government to accelerate mine clearance efforts, expand risk education programs, and strengthen protective measures. Their goal, they said, is to ensure a safer and more secure future for Iraq's children.
