By Moutaz Ali.
Istanbul, 20 July 2017:
Despite Benghazi seemingly conflict free, the remnants of war still remain. Hidden mines litter properties and have killed at least 22 civilians in less than a month, with many more injured.
Exact statistics are still hard to come by but local activists are intent on recording cases.
“The daily average of those dying or injured is 4-5 people,” Ahmed Al-Faghi, an activist from Benghazi, told the Libya Herald.
Yesterday saw three people killed and two seriously injured. One of those to die was Abdullah Al-Tharad and some Egyptian workers asked to help out by a Libyan clearing his downtown house.
Bashir Al-Arij, aged 19 was also killed yesterday when going into his Sabri home and his friend Suhail Al-Agori was seriously injured.
Although the Libyan National Army (LNA) has repeatedly warned displaced residents to stay away from their properties in Sabri and Suq Al-Hout, some simply cannot wait.
The media office of the Military Engineering Unit at the Saiqa Special Forces said it had deactivated 72 mines in the last ten days. It said 43 of its soldiers had already in Gwarsha and Ganfouda, districts cleared of militants last year.
There seems no question that Benghazi needs help from the international community in reviving the heavily mined areas.
“We need direct support to be provided by governments and NGOs who own the knowledge and technology able to lessen such risks,” said Walid Madi, a Benghazi academic.
