Clearing explosive weapons & keeping communities safe in Libya

Since the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya, especially Misrata and Tawergha, has been wracked by violence between rival militia and the uncontrolled influx of weapons, creating a situation of ongoing insecurity. There are incredible amounts of remnants of war that remain a threat to the population, especially in Tawergha. People are slowly starting to return to the ghost-town.

HI team, Clearance operations (EOD), on the right Simon Elmont, HI EOD Field Manager in Libya. | © Till Mayer/HI

Humanity & Inclusion started its clearance operation in 2011, but the civil war interrupted our mission between 2015 and 2017. In Tawergha, since November 2019, our teams have destroyed nearly 450 items, weighing two tons. Between 2012 and 2014, Humanity & Inclusion's clearance teams destroyed 122,273 unexplored unexploded ordnance, RPGs, missiles, and ammo, leftover from the civil war. “We also destroyed WW2 mines,” says Simon Elmont, Humanity & Inclusion's EOD Field Manager in Libya.

Soon after the war ended, Humanity & Inclusion's team started providing risk education sessions to children at school and in the local mosques. Our staff explained the risks of explosive weapons of war and what to do should they spot any. "When children know what a grenade, ammunition, or an RPG look like, they are safer."

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Explosive weapons

How to clear a former battlefield

HI conducts clearance operations in Tabqa, in Northeast Syria, an area prone to fierce battles during the conflict, to handover lands to villagers and farmers.

Explosive weapons Protect vulnerable populations Rights

In more than a third of countries worldwide, civilians are victims of explosive weapons

The annual report of the Explosive Weapons Monitor reveals that civilians in 74 countries are affected by bombing and shelling. Civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure are increasing as armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions rise, at the expense of international humanitarian law.

Explosive weapons Prevention Protect vulnerable populations Rights

The Ottawa Treaty is crucially important to reinforcing Canada’s resolve and protecting civilian lives

The looming threat of Russia has led to five Eastern European members announcing they will withdraw from the Mine Ban Treaty in the last months, marking the first time any country has left the agreement and prompting concerns about its future.

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Tel: (514) 908-2813 | [email protected]

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