More than 99.000 kilometres of road cleared of landmines

A total of 99.980 kilometres of road have been cleared of landmines around the country form 1996 to the first semester of this year. The information was released by the Social Welfare minister, João Baptista Kussumua. The minister was chairing the opening of the 3rd National Meeting on Demining, in representation of the Angolan head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos. The minister on the occasion said another 3,200 kilometres of railway have been cleared, including 6,016 kilometres of fiber-optic and 5,571 of electricity conveying line.

In the period in respect, according to the minister who is also the coordinator of the Executive Commission for Demining, a total of 930.191,457 square metres have been cleared. In the process, a total of 428,274 anti-personnel landmines were cleared, including 23,384 anti-tank mines, while 2.3 million unexploded ordnance were defused. Also cleared were 2.7 million kilograms of lethal material, plus 3.7 million kilograms of assorted materials. He said that despite the excellent results achieved in the process, the threat of landmines continues, putting flow of people and goods and certain areas of the national territory at permanent risk. (Angola Press)