Press Release

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22 Aug 2016

Press Release

Tunis, Tunisia - On 19 August, The United Nations Mine Actions Service (UNMAS) concluded its second Non-Technical Survey (NTS) course, which successfully trained and equipped an additional 10 Libyan nationals who are working in the field of mine action in Benghazi and surrounding areas.

The course, funded by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), has taught the participants survey methods to determine areas in Benghazi that are are contaminated, suspected to be contaminated or clear from explosive remnants of war. This will determine the scale of contamination, assist in prioritizing areas for clearance, indicate the approximate time/resources for clearance and, importantly, let internally displaced persons understand the extent of the contamination in their neighborhoods to inform their movement decisions.

Explosive remnants of war severely impact the lives of those living or returning to contaminated areas. Haneen, a medical student at the University of Benghazi is an IDP in a neighbourhood in Benghazi. She explains, “[ERW contamination] is the biggest concern for me when it comes to my daily activities. They force restrictions on everyone in the area to stay away from the houses they abandoned during the war, small alleys, wide open areas or even the backyard of the houses they live in”.

UNMAS is running a third course, commencing 23 August, to train a further 10 Libyan nationals. In total, UNMAS aims to train and equip a minimum of 30 people, who will work in teams to survey areas of Benghazi.