Fresh warnings have been issued by the United Nations as rising landmine deaths spark global concern, especially with funding for demining efforts quickly running out.
International specialists meeting in Geneva say old and ongoing wars continue to leave deadly marks, with civilians still being killed or injured almost every day.
The UN Mine Action Programme (UNMAS) noted that mine clearance operations in Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territory are currently receiving fair support, but said the situation in Afghanistan and Nigeria is becoming extremely alarming.
Christelle Loupforest, the UNMAS representative in Geneva, revealed that programmes in both nations, along with Ethiopia could completely shut down by March if new donors do not step in soon.
In Sudan, landmine removal teams are severely overstretched, and there is serious concern for nearly 1.5 million civilians who have returned to war-damaged Khartoum.
The capital remains the centre of the fierce conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Today, only five UNMAS clearance teams are active in Sudan, all based in Khartoum due to the overwhelming level of risk, said Sediq Rashid, the head of UNMAS Sudan.
He also expressed deep worry over the situation in al-Fasher, a city trapped under siege for more than 500 days.“Even now, the shelling hasn’t completely stopped.
There are also reports of landmines in the area. The situation is extremely worrying and gaining access remains a huge challenge,” he said.
In Nigeria, teams fear that as IDP camps close, many people may unknowingly return to landmine-infested areas where dangerous unexploded devices are hidden.
“Unfortunately, our data shows that 80% of civilian casualties occur in 11 out of the 15 return locations,” said Edwin Faigmane, UNMAS Chief of Mine Action in Nigeria.
To reduce risk, UNMAS has been training Nigeria’s military, police and civil defence teams to educate communities, especially in unstable zones often labeled “hard-to-reach.”
