The German government is to fund two international mine clearance teams to clear and secure an ammunition store in Misrata.
Commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office, the international NGO Handicap International will clear what was formerly a weapons and munitions storage bunker of remnants of war, and secure it.
During the battles in Misrata, several bunker complexes were destroyed. In the process, large amounts of explosives – munitions of all calibres, rockets and mines – were scattered in and around the facilities. With funds from the Federal Foreign Office, a munitions dump in close proximity to a residential area will be cleared and secured.
The situation is dangerous because the local population may scavenge the stores and try to obtain recyclable metal from the munitions and weapons. There have already been several accidents in connection with such activity, some of them fatal. A significant danger to the population is being removed. The clearance will also reduce the risk that rebel or terrorist forces can use the remaining explosives for attacks.
The project, to which the Foreign Office has contributed 600,000 euros, also provides for the deployment of two highly specialized clearance teams over a period of several months. As part of the project, Libyan staff are to be trained, who will then repair the storage site.
(Source: German Federal Foreign Office)
(Picture credit: United Nations)
