MOGADISHU, 5 April 2022 – Military officials of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on Monday joined the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to commemorate the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, and called for more effort in eliminating the dangers posed by explosives in Somalia.
The United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed on 4 April each year. This day aims to raise awareness about landmines and the progress towards their eradication and to collectively reflect on the effects, including deaths and injuries, posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“Today, we recall the threat posed by mines and IEDs to the world in general, and to Africa in particular. Somalia is not an exception, as IEDs are the preferred weapon of choice for Al-Shabaab, posing a significant threat to ATMIS troops, Somali security forces, and the civilian community. We appreciate the efforts of UNMAS to continuously address the threats posed by mines and IEDS, including community-based mine clearance and risk education programmes,” said Lt. Gen. Ndegeya.
In Mogadishu, ATMIS took part in a number of activities to mark the day, including a demonstration by the UNMAS Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit on how IEDs work, and how to counter them. Speaking at the event ATMIS Force Commander, Lieutenant General Diomede Ndegeya, said Somalia still faces a big IED threat and thanked UNMAS for supporting ATMIS in mitigating those threats.
In 2020, 501 civilians were killed or injured in Somalia due to improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war. In 2021, the number of casualties increased to 669 casualties.
Over the years, UNMAS has trained, mentored and equipped AU mission troops in Somalia with a series of IED threat mitigation capabilities, contributing to operational dynamics and helping in the achievement of various mandates of the mission.
In his speech, Jean-Guy Lavoie, the UNMAS Chief of Mine Action Programme said joint efforts by ATMIS and UNMAS to build a robust counter-IED threat were registering commendable progress and called upon more support in order to reduce the effects of mines and IEDs in Somalia.
“UNMAS works with international partners, the Somali Explosive Management Authority (SEMA), and other local partners to ensure mine action clearance and risk education reach vulnerable communities. UNMAS and ATMIS are working together to protect civilians from the deadly effects of explosive hazards, particularly IEDs. On this International Day, let us build on past progress and rid Somalia of the scourge of explosive hazards once and for all,” said Lavoie.
This year’s theme for the Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home”, emphasising the remarkable accomplishments made by the mine action sector towards a world free of mines and explosive remnants of war, from playgrounds to pathways, farmlands and homesteads.