Mikdad: Syria Exerted Great Efforts to Remove the Mines Placed by Terrorists

 DAMASCUS, (ST)- The Syrian state has exerted great efforts to demine the areas which have been liberated from terrorists who, before their defeat planted mines and explosive devices everywhere in order to kill as many civilians as possible, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faysal al-Mikdad said during his meeting on Monday with Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Agnes Marcaillou.

 Al-Mikdad stressed that the Syrian government will continue to cooperate with the UN Mine Action Service in order to clean all the liberated areas from mines and protect the Syrian citizens against this danger.

 The deputy minister condemned the unilateral coercive economic measures imposed by western states and which have deprived the Syrians from the means necessary to confronting the difficulties facing them.

On her part, Marcaillou highly appreciated Syria’s cooperation with UNMAS office in the country, affirming the importance of continuous coordination in this respect.

She pointed out that UNMAS and the Syrian side have taken considerable steps as regards building the Syrian abilities, disseminating awareness about the danger of mines and qualifying work teams necessary for mine clearing missions.

Last July, an agreement was signed to put a framework for cooperation between the Syrian government and the United Nations in the process of removing the mines planted by terrorist groups in several Syrian areas.

Hamda Mustafa