More than 300,000 landmines cleared

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Military Spokesman Major General UAB Medawela said that more than 300,000 landmines laid by the LTTE terrorists in the North and East have been cleared by the de-mining groups.

There is still another area of 2000 square kilometres to be cleared.

Making this observation at a press conference held at the Media Centre for National Security, the Military Spokesman said that an area of 1,800 square kilometres of the Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces have been cleared by the de-mining groups.

He said the land mines have been strewn without a proper system making the de-mining process difficult.

He also said that 90 percent of the de-mining work is done by the Army Engineering Unit with a crew of 1,100 personnel. He added that the de-mining program is also supported by eight locally and foreign operating NGOs.

Media Center For National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalle and Defence Ministry Additional Secretary Indu Ratnayake also participated.