Russian Bomb Squad Destroyed 108 Mines in Historical Part of Palmyra

The Russian mine-clearing group has demined four hectares in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra.

MOSCOW — Russian sappers have demined four hectares in the historical part of Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra, clearing a total of 108 explosive devices, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday, according to Sputnik News.

“The specialists from the Russian mine-clearing group have started demining the infrastructure in Palmyra. In the past 24 hours, the Russian sappers have cleared four hectares in the historical part of the city, destroying 108 explosive devices,” the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.

 Russian bomb disposal experts began dismantling landmines planted by ISIS in Palmyra

Earlier, the Syrian News Agency SANA reportedthat Russian bomb disposal experts, in cooperation with engineering units from the Syrian Arab Army, began dismantling the landmines planted by ISIS terrorists in Palmyra city before their defeat.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the members of the engineering squad which formed by the International Mine Action Centre of the Russian Armed Forces have begun engineering reconnaissance and demining roads leading to the historical part of Palmyra city and its surroundings.

The ministry said that the Russian experts have defused over 120 explosive devices and cleared about 1 kilometer of roads from explosive items, adding that the experts are using dogs and a variety of devices to detect mines and detonators.

The Ministry said that during engineering reconnaissance, specialists from the International Anti-Mine Center discovered and removed homemade explosive devices placed in asphalted roads, intersections, roadside buildings, and facilities including power substations, water pumping stations, bakeries and hospitals, noting that some of the explosive devices included pipe bombs anti-tank mines equipped with electric detonators.

The Ministry pointed out that those explosive devices that couldn’t be removed were disposed of via controlled detonation using special pressure charges after taking necessary security measures.