Land mines in North Africa
Encyclopedia
This article discusses the problem represented by landmines in North Africa, the consequent suffering of its peoples, and how the countries in the region deal with this problem.
, Italy
declared war on Great Britain
and France
. The Italians being already existing in their colonies, along with colonies’ native peoples, are included in this conflict. The Italians initially attacked Egypt
, and the British, tied with Egyptians by the 1936 treaty, counterattacked and occupied Cyrenaica
. The Italians asked for help from their German allies, and so, they entered the theatre of war in North Africa. War continued with no decisive victory until the German-Italian forces had been defeated at the Second Battle of Alamein in late 1942.
German-Italian forces withdrew from Egypt
and Libya
to Tunisia
. The British, with the help of American allies defeated their opponents on 12 May 1943, ending the North African campaign.
During the war, each side used land-mines to impede the enemy's progress. While it is unknown how many were used throughout North Africa, it is known from the memoirs of Erwin Rommel
that some 80,000 mines were laid at the Buerat-Line in Libya
.
Many of the mines are still operational and pose a risk to local populations. The responsibility for removing them has been left to the governments of North African nations.
’s missions estimated that there are 19.7 million mines in the western desert of Egypt
. Great efforts has been done in extracting mines. In a 1997 interview with major-general Ibrahim Abdul-Fattah, chief of the military engineers force in the Egyptian armed forces, he stated that 8301 Egyptian persons (civilian and military) were affected by land mines by 1997. Of them, 7611 were wounded and 690 were killed.
Libya also has a bad heritage of land mines from the Libyan-Egyptian war in 1977. Durinq the Libyan civil war
in 2011, Muammar al Qadafi
regime laid land mines to check the advance of the rebel forces.
In the 1990's about one dozen explosives removal teams worked in the former battle fields, in Libya, to defuse land mines and duds. Since the European countries didn't feel responsible for the removal of these explosives, the Libyan government had to pay for this dangerous work.
, Germany
, and Great Britain
. This weakened their positions in demanding the extraction of the mines, and compensation for war damages. Libya
, and Egypt
work apart. Tunisia
signed in December 1997 the Ottawa Treaty
calling for banning the use of mines in warfare, but this signing will not save its people from the danger of mines.
History
On 10 June 1940, during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
declared war on Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Italians being already existing in their colonies, along with colonies’ native peoples, are included in this conflict. The Italians initially attacked Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and the British, tied with Egyptians by the 1936 treaty, counterattacked and occupied Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
. The Italians asked for help from their German allies, and so, they entered the theatre of war in North Africa. War continued with no decisive victory until the German-Italian forces had been defeated at the Second Battle of Alamein in late 1942.
German-Italian forces withdrew from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. The British, with the help of American allies defeated their opponents on 12 May 1943, ending the North African campaign.
During the war, each side used land-mines to impede the enemy's progress. While it is unknown how many were used throughout North Africa, it is known from the memoirs of Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
that some 80,000 mines were laid at the Buerat-Line in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
.
Many of the mines are still operational and pose a risk to local populations. The responsibility for removing them has been left to the governments of North African nations.
Egypt
One of United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
’s missions estimated that there are 19.7 million mines in the western desert of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Great efforts has been done in extracting mines. In a 1997 interview with major-general Ibrahim Abdul-Fattah, chief of the military engineers force in the Egyptian armed forces, he stated that 8301 Egyptian persons (civilian and military) were affected by land mines by 1997. Of them, 7611 were wounded and 690 were killed.
Libya
The White Book, issued by Libyan government in 1981, shows that for every year from 1939 (before the war) to 1975, there are killed citizens by the explosion of left-over military munitions (including mines), except for the years 1969-70. Year 1945 had the bloodiest record of 130 killed. Most of mine fields are in the coastal area, the most populated zone of the country.Libya also has a bad heritage of land mines from the Libyan-Egyptian war in 1977. Durinq the Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
in 2011, Muammar al Qadafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
regime laid land mines to check the advance of the rebel forces.
In the 1990's about one dozen explosives removal teams worked in the former battle fields, in Libya, to defuse land mines and duds. Since the European countries didn't feel responsible for the removal of these explosives, the Libyan government had to pay for this dangerous work.
Tunisia
- The contributor has no accurate figures from TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, but can have an idea from one of thirty volumes telling the story of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. One of the scripts said: “ On March 17 [1943] he [General Patton] captured GafsaGafsaGafsa is the capital of Gafsa Governorate of Tunisia. Its name was appropriated by archaeologists for the Mesolithic Capsian culture. With a population of 84,676, it is the 9th Tunisian city.-Overview:...
…On April 8 …joined up with the 8th Army, whilst on his left, the French XIX Corps moved towards the Eastern Dorsale. But neither of them was able to intercept the Italian army as it retreated north towards Enfidaville via SfaxSfaxSfax is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD 849 on the ruins of Taparura and Thaenae, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate , and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has population of 340,000...
and SousseSousseSousse is a city in Tunisia. Located 140 km south of the capital Tunis, the city has 173,047 inhabitants . Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf of Hammamet, which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea. The name may be of Berber origin: similar names are found in Libya and in...
. This was because of the vast numbers of land-mines that Italian and German sappers laid , one of which …killed ..Major-General Edouard Welvert, commanding the “Constantine” Motorised Division, as they were entering KairouanKairouanKairouan , also known as Kirwan or al-Qayrawan , is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia. Referred to as the Islamic Cultural Capital, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was founded by the Arabs around 670...
”. - Today, the Tunisian Army is extracting by his own potential between 200-300 mines every year.
Diplomatic Efforts
Although these three countries suffer from the same problem, they never unified their diplomatic engagements with the formerly belligerent countries, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This weakened their positions in demanding the extraction of the mines, and compensation for war damages. Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
work apart. Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
signed in December 1997 the Ottawa Treaty
Ottawa Treaty
The Ottawa Treaty or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, aims at eliminating anti-personnel landmines around the world. , there were 158...
calling for banning the use of mines in warfare, but this signing will not save its people from the danger of mines.