In Libya, more than 400 people were killed or injured by anti-personnel mines abandoned during the past five years. On the other hand, the Libyan government has only been able to clear 36% of the mined land.
RELATED:
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) also added that 436 million square metres remain contaminated with anti-personnel mines.
In the past year alone, 35 civilians were killed or injured by explosive devices, 26 of them minors, according to the Libyan Mine Action Centre.
It also announced that it would develop a national strategy with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and with support from UNSMIL.
"These figures not only highlight the serious challenges we face but also underline the vital importance of international partnerships," said Fatma Zourrig, head of the Unsmil Mine Action Section.
UNICEF representation in Libya then expressed "deep concern over another tragic incident caused by explosive remnants of war", referring to the eleven children who were injured while attempting to manipulate the remains of abandoned mines in the town of Ubari (southwest).
According to The Human Rights Watch, anti-personnel mines have entered Libya at the root of foreign incursions by the west and civilian militias in the area.