Within the framework of the arduous operation being carried out by the Colombian Navy to eliminate the threat of anti-personnel mines in the Montes de María subregion, it was possible to present a new area free of suspicion of the existence of these Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) in the department of Bolívar.
It is an area in the municipality of El Callao, rural area of the municipality of Zambrano (Bolívar), which had been identified as dangerous according to the study carried out by the Group of Explosives and Demining of the Navy Infantry, who since April 2021 began the work of clearing with manual demining technique.
For approximately eight months this Unit attached to the Navy Infantry Brigade No.1 carried out these works, achieving the finding and controlled destruction of two Improvised Explosive Devices-AEI-, which are elements that put in imminent danger the life and good physical condition of the inhabitants of this community.
3,438 square meters of areas free of suspicion of mines were presented to the leaders and peasants of this sector in the Montes de María subregion, so that they can return to their territories and cultivate in these productive lands, thus contributing to the economic development and progress of the subregion.
During this operation, the external monitoring component of the Program of Comprehensive Action Against Antipersonnel Mines –AICMA - of the Organization of American States-OAS-participated, and evaluated the process and monitored the results, so that these complied with national and international standards of Humanitarian Demining.
