The Russian Federation is making every effort to create a mine-free world, and has made demining in Syria one of its priorities, which is necessary to rebuild the country's infrastructure and return refugees, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Thursday.
"I recall that in 2016-2017, Russian engineering troops conducted demining operations in the cities of Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor, and - twice - Palmyra. We continue to actively assist the Syrians in clearing mines and explosive devices from areas liberated from terrorists and extremists. Russian military specialists have cleared more than 6,500 hectares of Syrian territory and over 17,000 objects, and deactivated over 105,000 explosive devices," Nebenzya emphasized in his statement.
He added that Russia is working on mobilizing relevant international efforts in order to remove the mine threat in Syria and stressed the important role of the UN Mine Action Service and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining.
Nebenzya urged states to take an active part in the next 4th international conference on humanitarian demining and countering improvised explosive devices, to be held May 25-28, 2021, in Moscow.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS