Shaheed Alhafed, December 16, 2018 (SPS) – Sahrawi Association of Landmine Victims (ASAVIM) has reiterates call on the international community and its relevant bodies, in particular the United Nations, in order to exert pressure on Morocco to comply with conventions on banning mines and cluster munitions (Ottawa and Oslo), in a statement.
The statement called for allowing international organizations to clean the buffer zone as it poses risks to citizens and their livestock, and dismantling the Moroccan military wall dividing the territory of Western Sahara and separating its people in addition to the fact that the majority of incidents related to mine explosions occur in the adjacent areas.
It confirmed that, after 27 years of cease-fire in the region under the United Nations responsibility, mines continue to claim lives in Western Sahara, one of the most contaminated areas in the world.
The statement appealed to citizens to exercise maximum caution and avoid mine suspected places.
ASAVIM) had learned about incidents of mine explosions in places of the liberated territories of Western Sahara. An explosion occurred on December 13, 2018 in the area of "Um-Degan" in a vehicle carrying three people, resulted in the death of citizen Mahfoud Shakrad, and serious injuries to his brother Sid-Ahmed Shakrad, in addition to the driver, Ambarak Meskeh, who also suffered injuries. This happened when they were on their way to make sure of an explosion they had heard in the same area.
The second explosion took place on 14 December 2018 in a vehicle in the area of "Akhneig Lajawad." Until now, ASAVIM has not received the details of the incident. (SPS)
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