Demining Completed – 424 Missiles and Four Underwater Mines Weighing more than 100

Between 11 August and 4 October 2013, in the framework of the international police cooperation between the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina, a three-stage segment of the Sava River Demining Project, initiated last year, was finalised in Orašje and Odžak.

In addition to the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the main implementer of the project, and the Department for Special Diving Activities and Training of Czech Police (Brno), the project was prepared and implemented also by the BH Ministry of Security, BH Ministry of Defence, Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BH Border Police, BH MAC, Federal Administration for Civil Protection, Posavina Canton Civil Protection Administration, Luka Brčko Public Enterprise, Posavina Canton Ministry of Interior, Odžak and Orašje Municipalities, as well as the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Sarajevo and authorities of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian Ministry of Interior, Croatian Border Police, National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia, Vukovar-Syrmia County and Brod-Posavina County).

In the framework of the Sava River Demining activities carried out this year, 424 mines of different calibre were taken out, including four underwater mines weighing more than 100 kg. These mines had remained from the previous war and the Second World War. All the ammunition taken out was destroyed by the members of the BH Armed Forces and Federal Administration for Civil Protection at the “Odlučna Barbara” military polygon near Glamoč and “Disine” polygon in Orašje, in the presence of the members of SIPA and Police of the Czech Republic.

In the framework of the implementation of all the three stages of the project, in addition to the members of the Department for Special Diving Activities and Training of Czech Police, the divers from SIPA also actively participated in the search of the terrain and taking out of the unexploded ordinance.

The first Sava River Demining activities were carried out on 3-12 September 2012, when the project was initiated, and the plan is to continue the project next year.