International Mine Awareness Day is a reminder that mines and explosive remnants of war can still kill or maim for decades after they have been laid or fired. This is regularly illustrated by press reports of accidental explosions or discoveries of devices dating from the First and Second World Wars:
• “German WWI grenade found in potato shipment” (Feb. 2019)
• “Düsseldorf: 13,000 residents evacuate after WWII bomb dug up” (Aug. 2023)
• “Four injured after old WWII aircraft bomb explodes in Munich” (Dec. 2021)
Every year, thousands of people are injured or killed by mines and explosive remnants of war. In 2022, more than 8 out of 10 mine victims were civilians, half of them children.
Despite the passage of time, the return of peace and the emptiness of former battlefields, the threat remains. Some devices even become more unstable with time, and therefore can be more likely to explode with the slightest contact.
Unfortunately, the dangerous nature of these devices remains relatively unknown, which sometimes leads to unwise actions: “Woman drives hand grenade to police station in her car” (Jan. 2023); “Police station evacuated after mortar and grenade from Second World War handed in” (Nov. 2023). It is essential to remember that under no circumstances should you touch or go near any explosive remnants of war, and that you should immediately call the police or the relevant services if you find anything suspicious.
More than one in three countries in the world is still contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance. Between 5% and 20% of ammunition fired fails to function on impact and can potentially explode on the slightest contact.
These incidents, which still occur despite the fact that Western Europe has not experienced war for several generations, underline the persistence of this threat and the positive impact of humanitarian demining in the long term. In Ukraine, Iraq and Afghanistan, millions of mines and items of unexploded ordnance are still scattered across towns, villages, fields and forests. “Without demining, it is impossible for farmers to cultivate their land without putting themselves in danger, or for people displaced by the combat to return home without the risk of stepping in the wrong place.”, explains Hansjörg Eberle, Director of FSD. The mines removed today will undoubtedly save lives for generations to come.
Our operations in Ukraine
Nearly 400 FSD employees are working to locate and neutralise explosive devices in Ukraine so that people can resume their daily activities in complete safety.
Humanitarian mine action cannot wait
Demining not only saves lives by preventing accidental explosions, but it is also the first step for reconstruction in an area affected by conflict.
