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Mine Action Weekly, 10 - 16 August 2026

  • Writer: Markus Schindler
    Markus Schindler
  • Aug 16
  • 17 min read

This week’s Mine Action Weekly highlights the scale and persistence of explosive ordnance contamination worldwide – from major clearance gains in Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka to renewed threats in Cambodia and Ukraine. The newsletter also examines advances in EORE, victim assistance, policy, funding and emerging technologies, including AI and robotics, underscoring both the progress achieved and challenges that remain.



Disclaimers:


  • This newsletter features news reports and articles from a variety of sources. Mention of these resources does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others. I do not claim responsibility or credit for these works, and do not vouch for the information contained in them.

  • This newsletter is created and managed in a personal capacity, independent of my professional affiliation with Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD).

🗞️ Weekly News Roundup

The weekly news roundup showcases a low-down of the top mine action news and insights from the past seven days.

1. EO Contamination, Clearance & Land Release


🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: ANAMA: 1581 hectares cleared of mines and UXOs over past week

During mine-clearing operations, a total of 87 anti-personnel mines, 20 anti-tank mines, and 784 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) were detected and neutralised from August 3 to 9, the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) said in a statement. The agency noted that, in total, 1,581 hectares of territory had been cleared of mines and UXOs during the reporting period.


Since the end of the 2020 war, 436 people have fallen victim to landmines in Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X following a landmine explosion which injured a civilian in Kalbajar on Thursday. "Two consecutive days. Two landmine explosions. Three civilians injured. These tragic incidents are a stark reminder that the deadly legacy of conflict continues to threaten lives, hinder reconstruction and impede the safe return of displaced persons," the MFA said.


🇧🇩 Bangladesh: 90 landmines recovered from abandoned plot in Meherpur

A total of 90 landmines, including 17 anti-tank and 73 anti-personnel mines, were recovered from an abandoned plot Gangni upazila in Meherpur. A 19-member specialist army team from the 55 Infantry Division in Jashore Cantonment, led by Major Tariqul Islam, began excavating the site around 4:00pm after locals reported objects resembling landmines on the surface of a plot at Betbaria village.


The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has told the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that recent surveys identified 3,858 areas contaminated by cluster munitions across 335 villages, with an estimated 6–7 million unexploded submunitions posing a long-term humanitarian threat.


Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra has warned that unexploded cluster munitions fired by Thai forces into Cambodian territory could continue to kill and endanger civilians for years, even after the cessation of hostilities.


Fresh incursions by Thai troops pose new humanitarian threats in previously cleared areas, risking two decades of demining progress, Cambodia’s top mine action official warned on Tuesday.


Around 1,800 people fled their homes in western Germany after a wildfire spread nearby, officials said Friday, with helicopters and army equipment deployed to battle the country's largest forest fire of the summer. Explosions were heard overnight as the fire set off World War II munitions which hampered the fight against the blaze in the hilly Eifel egion of North Rhine-Westphalia state.


🇮🇷 Iran to clear unexploded wartime munitions in Konarak

Authorities in Iran's southeastern Konarak county said operations to defuse unexploded bombs and other munitions left from the war would run from Friday afternoon through August 17.


Specialized units from the Lebanese Army have dismantled rockets and bombs launched by Israel that failed to explode in the towns of Dibbin (Marjayoun district), Zawtar Gharbiwh, Houmin Fawqa, Zibdin and Doueir (Nabatieh). The munitions "were subsequently transported to a safe location in order to take the necessary measures, with the aim of preserving the safety of residents."


🇵🇸 Palestine: Gaza: Destruction of buildings rises by nearly 10 per cent since ceasefire

Explosive ordnance remains a daily threat in Gaza, with a 13-year-old injured earlier this week. Mine action partners conducted 18 explosive hazard assessments to support rubble removal, shelter construction and farming, while more than 15,000 people received explosive ordnance awareness sessions in one week. However, partners still lack permissions and equipment to safely remove hazardous items.


🇰🇷 🇰🇵 South Korea: North Korean drifting mines put island residents on edge in Ganghwa-gun

According to Yonhap, 16 mines across 14 separate incidents — suspected to have originated from North Korea — were found between July 23 and Monday along the shores of Ganghwado, Gyodongdo, Jumundo, Boreumdo and other areas near the truce line in Ganghwa-gun. Just two days earlier, a village chief found an anti-personnel mine on Jokaegol Beach on Boreumdo.


Since 2010-2025, Sri Lanka has released more than 254 square kilometres of confirmed hazardous areas, contributing to a total land release of 1,297 square kilometres, enabling the safe return of over 900,000 internally displaced persons and supporting the restoration of public services and economic recovery in post-conflict regions. During survey and clearance operations, Sri Lanka has found and safely destroyed a total of: 928,187 anti-personnel (AP) mines; 2,256 anti-tank (AT) mines; and 380,096 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Read more here.


🇸🇾 Syria: Good News Story From: Syria – A Journey for Bread That Changed a Family

Following a 2019 landmine accident that left Hassan with severe injuries and unable to work, ITF and Reachout Mine Action Organization have continued integrated mine action in Al-Hasakah, including survey, clearance and EORE. With donor support, the programme is also strengthening Reachout’s national capacity through training, mentoring, quality assurance and technical assistance.


The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) carried out operations Monday to remove war remnants and unexploded ordnance from several areas of Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province. The operations were aimed at reducing the risks posed to civilians by unexploded weapons and other remnants of conflict.


🇹🇷 Turkey identifies 46,490 unexploded mines in Kurdish-majority province

Turkey has so far identified 46,490 unexploded mines in the predominantly Kurdish southeastern province of Hakkari, where clearance work continues in areas previously closed to public use. Hakkari has 54.1 million square meters of mined land and land suspected of containing unexploded ordnance. The clearance program is being carried out by Turkey’s National Mine Action Center (MAFAM), which began operations in the area last year, with the Gendarmerie General Command also providing personnel.


🇺🇦 Ukraine: "There's a minefield there." Nibulon has demined all but the last 100 hectares

Nibulon, a Ukrainian agricultural holding which has been a certified humanitarian demining operator since spring 2023, has cleared virtually all of its land, some 7,500 hectares of land affected by hostilities in southern Ukraine of mines, with the exception of a final plot covering about 100 hectares, according to Oleg Veselov, director of Nibulon’s agricultural division.


A video has gone viral showing a road in Donetsk Oblast lined with dozens of drones arranged like a minefield. The footage first appeared on a Russian Telegram channel before being picked up and shared by Ukrainian and foreign accounts on X and Reddit. The author of the post, a Telegram channel called "Mikhalych," claims that dozens of such drones — as many as a hundred per kilometer — have been placed along a short stretch of road. The exact number of devices and the circumstances of their deployment cannot be independently verified.


🇺🇦 Ukraine’s Potato Institute restores operations after occupation and demining 800 hectares

After the de-occupation, the institute faced looted equipment, damaged infrastructure, and heavily contaminated fields. More than 800 hectares of land had to be cleared before agricultural work could resume safely. With UAH 4 million in international humanitarian aid, the institute restored its laboratories and greenhouses and purchased new farm equipment, including a tractor, sorting machines and fertilizer application machinery.


🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Drones to search for unexploded World War Two bombs at former D-Day training site damaged by wildfire

Drones are set to be deployed across Dunwich Heath by the National Trust amid growing concerns that a recent wildfire may have uncovered unexploded Second World War munitions. The conservation charity is urging members of the public to stay away from the hazardous location, with all public rights of access currently suspended.


🇺🇸 🌊 United States: Donald Trump: US Has Cleared Mines from the Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump stated on Monday, August 10, that the United States has conducted mine-clearing operations across the entire Strait of Hormuz and maintains “100 percent” control over the waterway. He emphasized that the strait is currently open, but transit by ships remains strictly subject to US permission, with vessels bound for Iran barred from passing.


🇾🇪 Yemen: Mine Clearance Project "Masam" Destroys 663 Explosive Remnants in Hadhramaut

A specialised team from the "Masam" mine clearance project in Yemen, in coordination with the Executive Center for Mine Action in Mukalla, destroyed 663 mines and explosive remnants of war in Hadhramaut Governorate on Wednesday. This operation is part of ongoing efforts to clear areas contaminated by war debris.


Unrelenting heatwaves and severe droughts across Europe this summer have triggered an unprecedented wildfire season. According to data from the European Commission, as of 6 August 2026, over 500,852 hectares or 5,009km2 has been scorched by fire. Two wildfires in particular have seen firefighters working alongside bomb disposal teams as the affected areas are riddled with buried unexploded bombs.


Other EO Finds from Around the Globe:


2. Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE)


🇮🇶 Iraq: MAG launches new mobile game to help children stay safe

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) has launched a new mobile game designed to help children in Iraq learn how to stay safe from landmines and explosive remnants of war. The game – Safe Path – turns explosive ordnance risk education messages into an interactive experience, enabling children to learn how to recognise danger and make safer choices.


🇺🇦 Ukraine: A safety training on humanitarian demining was held for the youth of Donetsk region

The HALO Trust delivered an online mine safety training for young people aged 14 and above across Donetsk region. The sessions covered identifying explosive hazards, recognising warning signs and markings, avoiding dangerous objects and following safe procedures when encountering potentially contaminated areas. The initiative aims to strengthen youth awareness and prevent accidents in communities affected by explosive ordnance contamination.


🇾🇪 Yemen: In pictures: Project Masam intensifies Explosive Ordnance Risk Education in Yemen’s Midi region

Project Masam has intensified its Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) activities in Midi District, northern Hajjah Governorate, following the recent discovery of minefields near populated areas and agricultural land. The activities aim to increase awareness among civilians living and working in contaminated areas and reduce the risk of accidents involving landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other explosive remnants of war (ERW).

3. Accidents, Survivors, Victim Assistance


🇺🇦 Ukraine: The female canine handler who was wounded during the demining of Kherson region has returned to duty

Police dog handler Olena Petrolay was wounded while demining in the Kherson region, but after recovery returned to service. It was noted that for her courage and professionalism Olena was awarded the Order “For Courage,” 3rd class.


A total of 1,645 people, including 170 children and 1,475 adults, have been injured by Russian land mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to Ukraine’s General Directorate for Mine Action, Civil Protection and Environmental Safety.


🇷🇺 🇺🇦 Four Russian sappers died during demining in Sevastopol

In occupied Sevastopol, five people died as a result of ordnance detonation — four Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) employees and a building security guard. According to the Russian-appointed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev, the incident occurred during a territory inspection after Ukrainian drone attacks.


Other EO Accidents from Around the Globe:


4. Advocacy, Policy, Conventions, Strategies and Standards


🇱🇦 Laos Marks 16th Anniversary of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector in the Lao PDR (NRA) hosted a commemoration ceremony on 11 August in Vientiane to mark the 16th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) (Aug 1, 2010–2026).


🇷🇺 🇺🇦 Russia: Cluster Munition Attack on Kyiv a Potential War Crime

As cluster munitions spread submunitions over a wide area and unexploded submunitions continue to pose a foreseeable danger long after hostilities are over, their use in civilian areas amounts to a violation of the principles of precaution and distinction. Intentionally directing such attacks against the civilian population is a war crime.


🇱🇰 Sri Lanka’s mine-clearance programme praised by Rosamund Pike

International Mine-Clearance Ambassador and Hollywood actress Rosamund Pike has praised Sri Lanka’s mine-clearance programme during a meeting with Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Dr Susil Ranasinghe. Officials stated that around 90% of previously mine-affected areas have been cleared, with 20.8 square kilometres remaining in challenging terrain.


"Diia" has opened new damage register categories to claim compensation for state expenditures on humanitarian needs and demining. The article explains who is eligible to submit a claim, which expenses qualify for compensation, and how to file the documents on behalf of an institution.


The International Registry of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U) is now open to claims in newly added categories. Ukrainians can file for reimbursement of state humanitarian spending on affected communities, as well as for costs related to clearing mines and unexploded ordnance.


Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered the opening remarks at the Regional Workshop on Humanitarian Mine Action in ASEAN, an event organised by the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) with the support of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, in Jakarta. In his remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted the importance of information systems in critical areas and emphasised the need to transform information into impactful, actionable outcomes.


🌍 I Knew Them: Tim Carstairs and The Unfinished Work

World Humanitarian Day 2026 on 19 August and the International Day for Mine Awareness on 4 April form a single moral arc. Together they remind us that humanitarian action is not defined by dates on a calendar, but by the responsibilities that continue long after each commemoration ends. These two days call for one message: protection is not symbolic, and remembrance must lead to results.


🌍 🇱🇦 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION For Delegates of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (3 RC-CCM)

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is honoured to host the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Conference will comprise two components: the formal meeting and a field visit. The formal meeting will be held in Vientiane Capital from 14 to 18 September 2026, while the field visit will take place in Luang Prabang Province on 13 September 2026.

5. Stockpile Destruction, Demolition, WAM and Disarmament


🇧🇬 Bulgaria: Unexploded Ammunition and Smouldering Fires Remain at Site of August 10 Explosions Near Tryavna

The area around the ammunition plant warehouse near Tryavna (Central Bulgaria) where explosions occurred on August 10 is still being surveyed, with smouldering fires and scattered ammunition posing a potential danger, Gabrovo Regional Directorate of Interior Director Iliyan Ivanov said on Wednesday.


A powerful explosion ripped through a munitions factory near ​the town of Colleferro, southeast of Rome, on ‌Thursday, with the blast heard for kilometres around. The explosion occurred when firefighters and police were already at the ​site responding to a fire, local media ​reports said.

6. Research, Innovation, Technology and Market Trends


France has ordered 12 additional surface and underwater drones under its SLAM-F mine-countermeasures programme, alongside chartered vessels to deploy them. The systems will strengthen the French Navy’s ability to detect and neutralise naval mines while replacing ageing minehunters. The programme integrates unmanned surface vessels, autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated systems into future mine warfare operations.


🇰🇷 South Korea demonstrates MUM-T tactics for mine countermeasures

South Korea's Hanwha Systems, in partnership with the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN), has demonstrated manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities for mine countermeasures (MCM) operations managed through an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled command and control (C2) system.


🇺🇸 United States: Army Reserve tests robotic minefield-clearing technology at Camp Grayling

The Army Reserve sent a machine to do one of the deadliest jobs in combat engineering at Camp Grayling on Tuesday, and by the end of the day it had found what it came for: a flaw. For the first time, a reserve unit field-tested a robotic mine-clearing line charge, or MICLIC, a system that fires a rocket trailing a rope of explosives across a minefield to blow a path through it. Conventionally, soldiers tow the charge into place and position it by hand, often under fire. This version drove itself.


🇺🇸 United States: AI landmine detection reveals bigger problems in computer vision testing

Researchers at Binghamton University found that AI models trained to detect PFM-1 landmines from drone imagery performed substantially worse when tested on independently collected images. The findings highlight the importance of out-of-sample testing to assess whether computer-vision systems can generalise to real-world mine-action environments rather than simply perform well on training data.

7. Mine Action Assistance, Funding and Cooperation


Azerbaijan is seeking U.S. assistance and advanced technologies to address extensive landmine contamination resulting from decades of conflict with Armenia. Azerbaijani officials highlight the scale, cost and dangers of clearance, while the Marshall Legacy Institute has supported national efforts since 2005 by providing more than 90 mine-detection dogs to ANAMA.


Cambodia highly values Luxembourg’s continued support for the country’s humanitarian mine action sector, particularly through its contribution to mine clearance efforts and the “Clearing for Results” project.


Cambodia and Turkey have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in mine action, with Senior Minister Ly Thuch saying the two countries’ expertise, experience and support can help advance global efforts towards a mine-free world.


The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and SOS Cambodian Kids (SOS CK) have strengthened their humanitarian partnership to expand healthcare, education and community support for people living in communities affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war.


The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) agreed to accelerate landmine clearance and boost victim assistance under the Clearing for Results Phase V project.


The United States is providing an additional US$15 million to The HALO Trust’s unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance programme in Savannakhet province, reinforcing its decades-long commitment to help Laos address the legacy of war. The additional funding was announced at a ceremony in Savannakhet province on August 7, and the event was attended by Lao and US officials along with representatives of HALO Trust.


Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has expanded its fleet of humanitarian demining equipment thanks to assistance from the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the transfer of vehicles and specialised equipment.


🇺🇦 Ukraine asks NATO for mine-clearing support amid explosive threats

kraine has asked NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, or EADRCC, for support to strengthen its capacity to clear mines and transport explosive ordnance, NATO said. In a statement, NATO said large amounts of explosive ordnance remain across Ukrainian territory because of the Russia-Ukraine war, posing a serious threat to civilians and critical infrastructure. Ukraine's State Emergency Service, or DSNS, requested assistance from the EADRCC to expand its capabilities in mine clearance and the transport of explosive materials. Read more here.

8. Other News


🇭🇰 Hong Kong: AK-47s, landmines, typhoons: Hong Kong’s trail running king has dodged them all

Having an AK-47 pointed at his forehead by the Laos military, slicing his hand open during a deadly typhoon in Vietnam and sprinting across a beach lined with landmines off mainland China are just a few of the things Michael Maddess has survived in planning events across Asia.


🇸🇴 🇺🇳 Somalia: Aisha’s Journey Toward Empowering Women in Somalia's Security Sector

UNMAS highlights Aisha, a Somali police officer who entered the EOD sector in 2017 and has developed specialised skills in explosive ordnance disposal. Her experience illustrates the growing role of women in Somalia’s EOD and mine action sector, while supporting efforts to build more diverse and capable national capacity to address explosive threats.


🇺🇦 Ukraine: Chest Badge “For Contribution to Mine Action”

The Ukrainian Deminers Association (UDA) has awarded its “For Contribution to Mine Action” chest badge to professionals supporting Ukraine’s mine action sector. Established in 2025, the distinction has so far recognised 47 individuals, including representatives of Ukrainian authorities, international organisations, diplomatic corps and a Ukrainian mine action operator. The UDA plans to honour around 20 additional specialists this year.


UNDP Zimbabwe profiles Odella, a mother of three and deminer with the HALO Trust, working along the Zimbabwe–Mozambique border in Rushinga District. As part of Project RECLAIM, UNDP- and Japan-supported teams have recovered and destroyed nearly 700 landmines since February, helping advance Zimbabwe’s goal of becoming completely landmine-free.

🎥 Videos


The HALO Trust teams are surveying explosives on a jungle trail on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands where 7,000 Japanese soldiers, under General Maruyama, set off on a march to attack a United States airbase. Each soldier carried food, ammunition, and an artillery shell.


On International Youth Day, UN Mine Action Adviser for Ukraine Paul Heslop highlighted the disproportionate impact of landmines and UXO on children, who account for around one-third of casualties in mine-affected countries despite representing roughly one-eighth of the global population.


The “Zmiy” demining machine, purchased by Ukrainian Demining Services (UDS) with swiss support, is clearing fields in Kharkiv Region.

📅 Upcoming Events, Courses & Trainings


There are a number of interesting events for the mine action sector in the coming months, and some of the deadlines are approaching quickly.


  • Join the public PhD defence of Henrique Garbino on 4 September 2026, from 13:00–17:00, at Sverigesalen, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm. Henrique will defend his dissertation, Unearthing Restraint: The Use and Non-Use of Landmines by Armed Groups, which examines why armed groups sometimes choose to limit violence. Drawing on research from Colombia and the Philippines, the thesis offers new insights into the dynamics of restraint in armed conflict and the factors that shape landmine use and non-use. The event is open to the public. Learn more here.

  • Felix Connect is a dedicated networking event designed to bring together supporters, partners, and friends of Felix Fund - the bomb disposal charity. It’s a relaxed, welcoming space to connect, network, or simply catch up with familiar faces from across the EOD, Search, defence, and charity communities. The event will be held on 28 September in London. Learn more here.

  • The Mine Action: Innovation, Sustainability, and Global Partnerships speaker series is structured to address landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) challenges through a strictly humanitarian, civilian-protection-oriented framework, with clearly defined ethical, legal, and operational boundaries between humanitarian and military applications of technology. Dates are: FEB 19 | MAR 19 | APR 16 | MAY 21 | JUN 18 | JUL 16 | AUG 20 | SEP 17 | OCT 15 | NOV 19 | DEC 17. Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET. Location: Virtual (Zoom Webinar). Register here.

🔔 Always Stay in the Know – Never Miss an Update


This newsletter is subscribed to by over 3600+ dedicated readers on LinkedIn. To join this community of mine action professionals and supporters, go ahead and subscribe to the Mine Action Weekly newsletter. You can find all editions up to February 2026 on LinkedIn, and from March 2026 onwards here on Mine Action News.


Please reach out to me if there are any mine action news, journal articles, events, or updates that you would like to suggest for the next edition of Mine Action Weekly. You can find (and follow / connect with) me here. See you next Monday!

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