MAG has been working alongside the Puntland Mine Action Centre and the Puntland police since 2008, to reduce the threat from insecure stockpiles of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and other items of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
The project has three objectives:
• To clear items of UXO from towns and villages;
• To train and build the capacity of the Puntland police Explosive Ordnance Disposal team;
• To clear and destroy insecure stockpiles nationwide.
See how this work is carried out below:
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Abandoned UXO affects many parts of Somalia and can constitute a greater threat to people than minefields. |
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The MAG supported Puntland Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team carefully sifting through rubble in Bosasso. |
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Clearing a stockpile of BM-21 rockets. |
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Laid out for demolition: Soviet Armour Piercing High Explosive (APHE) 100mm projectiles, used to fire at tanks. |
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Working as an EOD Operator often involves many hours of hard manual labour lifting, sorting and stacking UXO by type/calibre. |
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Team members carefully place an High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) projectile, front, and High Explosive (HE) projectile, back, into a demolition pit. |
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The work can take place in temperatures of up to 45oC. |
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Checking the demolition pit for any remaining unsafe items. |
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Children in Garowe cooling off under the hot sun. In 2008, MAG conducted Battle Area Clearance close to where this photo was taken. |
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An aircraft rocket launcher, still containing munitions, in Galcaio. |
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Small arms ammunition can be just as dangerous as larger items of UXO if children carelessly play with it. |
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Educating those especially vulnerable is crucial to reducing the risk of accidents. |
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MAG’s Risk Education activities vary depending on the target audience (such as age, gender and literacy) and the context in which they live and work/study. |
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A session may include, for example: how to recognise commonly found remnants of conflict, how to report a dangerous item, known areas of contamination and accidents, how to keep others safe, and more. |
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The MAG-supported Puntland Police EOD team together with the Puntland Mine Action Centre Management team and MAG's Mine Risk Education teams. Garowe, January 2011. |
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Photos: MAG / S. Wooldridge / P. Tikkanen / A. Moir |
MAG thanks the following current donor to its Somalia operations: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, U.S. Department of State.
See also:
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