Egypt contains 22 percent of the world’s landmines, according to the chairman of an anti-mine organization.
“There are 22 million mines on Egypt’s land, covering 868,000 acres of its best soil,” said Magdy Diab, the chairman of the Arab Society to Serve Mine Affected Areas in a statement at the Arab League on Wednesday.
“We have decided to establish a center at Alamein in Egypt, the area with the most problems with mines, to support the victims of these weapons and to help rehabilitate them psychologically and physically, so that they can be reintegrated into society,” Diab said. “We have chosen Egypt as a headquarters for the center because there are more mines there than any other country in the Arab world.”
Fathi el-Shazly, chief executive officer of the commission to develop the North Coast and the Western Desert, said that the armed forces had cleared 31,000 acres of land on the North Coast, noting that the high concentration of landmines in the area has slowed development.
Another official speaking at the Arab League said that more than 667 Egyptians have been killed by landmines and that number is expected to rise.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
