The Demining-Project - Blackwater Industrials

conclusion

Joint Venture Israel

Mine clearance in Ukraine and Bosnia-Herzegovina presents a significant challenge requiring extensive international support. Various clearance methods offer different advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, time, and safety. Continuous international cooperation is crucial to eliminate these dangerous remnants of conflicts and secure a safe future for the affected regions. One of our partners in this joint venture is the NGO ATHENE Counter Environmental Crime, Germany.

Known mined areas with huge impacts

Approximately 174,000 square kilometers are mined, especially in regions like Donetsk, Luhansk, and recently contested areas such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson. Ukraine is among the most heavily mined countries globally. Since the conflict began in 2014 and escalated in 2022, an estimated 174,000 square kilometers have been mined, equivalent to about one-third of the country’s total area. Millions of mines are believed to be scattered across the country (Human Rights Watch) (Wikipedia).

Around 922 square kilometers of land remain mined, mainly in rural regions. Following the Bosnian War from 1992-1995, around 922 square kilometers remain mined. These areas pose significant risks to civilians and hinder the country’s reconstruction efforts (Mine Action Review) (UNHCR).

Afghanistan: Decades of conflict have left the country with numerous mines, particularly in rural and former combat zones.
Iraq and Syria: Large parts of these countries, especially former IS-controlled areas like Mosul and Raqqa, are heavily mined.
Cambodia: The civil war and Khmer Rouge regime have resulted in widespread mining of rural areas.

Somalia: The ongoing conflict with al-Shabaab has led to widespread mining, particularly in the south.
Mali and the Sahel Region: Groups like Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara have left mines and improvised explosive devices across the region.
Angola and Mozambique: Both countries continue to suffer from the legacy of their 20th-century civil wars, with many areas still mined.