Turkey destroys 903 mines in Northern Syria

A convoy of 300 Turkish Armed Forces’ armoured vehicles including personnel carriers, are seen on their way to Syrian border to support the military units deployed at the border, on February 10, 2020, in Hatay, Turkey [Burak Milli / Anadolu Agency]

Turkish security forces have destroyed 903 mines and 1,720 improvised explosives in areas under its latest anti-terror operation in northern Syria, the country’s National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

On October 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to remove militia groups from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders and aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees.

The ministry said in a statement children were often the victims of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Operation Peace Spring zone.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry, in cooperation with Turkish teachers from the country’s province of Sanliurfa, launched a training program on February 5 for students and teachers at schools in the Operation Peace Spring zone.

“The training provided aims to protect the people in the region and especially children from any mines/IEDs set up by terrorists in towns and in the countryside by teaching them not to touch or move these devices when they spot them but rather inform immediately the military units,” said the ministry.

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