154 landmine-related civilian casualties in E. Ukraine since 2016: OSCE
Xinhua, May 5, 2017 Adjust font size:
At least 154 civilians were either killed or injured in landmine incidents in eastern Ukraine since the beginning of 2016, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Friday.
Three patrol members of the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine were among those who were affected by the landmine explosions in the restive area, and one of them was killed, the OSCE said in a report, noting that no one has been held accountable for the death.
On April 23, the OSCE staff member died when his vehicle drove on a mine in the conflict-torn Lugansk region in eastern Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the East European country will need 10 to 15 years to clear the landmines that had been planted during the conflict that raged between government troops and pro-independence insurgents in eastern regions since April 2014. Endit