Bosnia’s capital is finally landmine-free, the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia said on Friday, adding that, thanks to the U.S. funded Mine Free Sarajevo project, 279 dangerous objects were removed from the remaining mine-contaminated municipalities of Sarajevo.
According to the ITF Enhancing Human Security organisation, the project, “fully funded by the United States, a leading donor in the fight to remove explosive remnants of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” was launched in April 2019 with the goal of completely eliminating landmines and other explosive ordinance from the city and municipalities around it.
The City of Sarajevo is now mine-impact free! Thanks to the U.S. funded #MineFreeSarajevo initiative, @MDDC_BH, @ITFsi, @MarshallLegacy, and BH MAC removed 279 dangerous objects. https://t.co/sqcWf9EATj
— US Embassy Sarajevo (@USEmbassySJJ) November 6, 2020
The project was implemented by ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF) in partnership with the Mine Detection Dog Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina (MDDC) and the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI).
“None of this would be possible without the funding and support of the United States as well as the assistance and support of local authorities, especially BHMAC (Bosnia's Mine Action Center), the mayors of individual municipalities, and the mayor of the City of Sarajevo. The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and FBiH Civil Protection Agency are also actively supporting the completion of this project,” ITF said, adding that the project represents “an example of the strong bilateral partnership between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The US has since 1996 provided more than $117 million in conventional weapons destruction programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including demining and destruction of conventional weapons and ammunition, the organisation said.
“The United States is committed to the safety and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina through the U.S. humanitarian demining program, funding implementing partners to return land to productive use. To date, the United States has funded the return of more than 35.7 million square meters of land back to local populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” it said.
