By Libya Herald reporters.
Benghazi, 12 August 2017:
The latest civilian victim of the mines and booby traps that still litter Benghazi’s Suq Al-Hout and Sabri districts was rushed to Jalaa hospital today. Mohamed Al-Arifi, 50, is understood to have suffered multiple shrapnel injuries after a landmine was detonated.
Last month an activist told this newspaper that every day some four or five mostly civilians were being killed or injured by uncleared mines, booby traps or shells.
Though the LNA’s operational focus has shifted to Derna, it is reported that a group of militants is still holding out in buildings in Sidi Akribesh in Sabri more than five weeks after armed forces commander-in-chief Khalifa Hafter declared final victory in the city.
The challenge for the LNA engineers is the sheer quantity of unexploded ordnance that needs to be dealt with. Gara Yunis University campus, from which the militants were driven fully 16 months ago has still not been completely cleared, causing the university to appeal directly Hafter to act before the new academic year begins next month.
LNA de-mining teams continue to complain they lack a sufficient number of trained engineers as well as advanced equipment to cope effectively with the heavy demand for their services.
