Contamination and Impact

As a result of border conflicts with Ethiopia and two decades of civil war, the Somali Republic is littered with landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and stockpiles of weapons, which is only part of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Flooding, drought, and health epidemics have also contributed to the crisis as have lack of access by NGOs that has affected the delivery of humanitarian aid and mine action operations.[1]

The landmine problem in Somalia is only comprehensible in the context of the security situation in the country, and even then, the problem is not completely understood. The attack on the UN compound in Mogadishu in June 2013 illustrates the instability and security concerns that pre-occupy field operations in Somalia.[2] Incidents involving landmines were reported in 2012 in south central Somalia and the Sanaag and Sool regions in northwest Somalia.[3]

Landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other ERW are a contributing factor to the protracted emergency situation in many parts of Somalia.

Mines

There is no quantifiable estimate of mine contamination in south central Somalia.[4] However, surveys in Bakol, Bay, and Hiraan regions in south central Somalia have revealed that, of the 718 communities in total, approximately one in 10 contained mined areas. Surveys in the Afgoye Corridor and parts of Mogadishu have indicated some antipersonnel and antivehicle mine contamination.[5]

In south central Somalia, some of the contaminated areas are in Abodwaq (Galguduud region), Belet Weyn (Hiraan), Dollow (Gedo), and Mataban (Galguduud).[6] Other mined areas are mainly along the Ethiopian border, but they seem to have minimal impact on the surrounding population. That appears to be one of the reasons why the areas had not been cleared until 2013 when The Development Initiative (TDI), a private commercial company, was contracted by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to conduct mine clearance.[7]

Explosive remnants of war

Surveys indicate that most districts in Mogadishu are affected to some extent by ERW and abandoned stockpiles, and that IEDs present a daily threat to communities and aid organizations.[8] Surveys by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Danish Demining Group (DDG), and UN Somalia Mine Action (UNSOMA), in coordination with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), identified 340 dangerous areas in 2011 containing 3,219 ERW in Banadir, Galgaduud, and Mudug regions.[9] Reflecting the predominance of ERW contamination, mine action capacity in Somalia mainly consists of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, of which there were 24 in 2012.[10]

Mine Action Program

Somalia has a complex operating environment with differing threat profiles. The UN has divided Somalia into three zones—Somaliland, Puntland, and south central Somalia—to implement mine action activities. The respective authorities responsible for mine action in each of the three areas design strategies and set priorities.[11] The Monitor reports on Somaliland separately.

Key institutions and operators

South central Somalia

The UN Somalia Mine Action Programme (known as UN Somalia Mine Action, UNSOMA) has been managed by UNMAS since early 2009.[12] UNMAS provides capacity development to the local authorities, engages in emergency humanitarian activities, and supports AMISOM.[13]

Security Council resolutions 1863 (2009) and 2036 (2012) provided the mandate for UNMAS to coordinate mine action and support AMISOM, the Somali Security Sector, and humanitarian aid in what UNMAS describes as “explosive management support.”[14] In south central Somalia, UNSOMA provides capacity-building support to AMISOM regarding explosives management in Mogadishu where there are large quantities of ERW, weapons, and ammunition stockpiles.

On 4 December 2011, Presidential Decree No. 276 established the SNMAA under the supervision of the Office of the President, with its main office in Mogadishu. The SNMAA has the authority to coordinate, supervise, and implement mine action activities in addition to approving national strategies and maintaining a national database and is responsible for the implementation of all obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the Mine Ban Treaty, and other disarmament treaties adhered to by the government of Somalia. Article 6 of the Presidential Decree allows SNMAA to borrow money from both national and international financial institutions.[15]

Mohamed Abdulkadir Ahmed was appointed as the national director of the Agency.[16] Ahmed had previously worked with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) as an International Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) database expert. The SNMAA is significantly under-resourced. Mohamed Ahmed reported having only a desk, a chair, and no job description at the UNMAS compound in Mogadishu.[17] However, in March 2013 Somalia submitted its first Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report.

On 6 August 2013, the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, signed a law establishing the Somali Explosive Management Agency (SEMA), which is the national mine action authority.[18]

In 2012, TDI, the first commercial demining company in south central Somalia, recruited, trained, and deployed four manual clearance teams and four EOD teams for south central Somalia.[19] TDI, DDG, and UOS, a Ukrainian commercial company, conduct EOD.[20]

Land Release

There is no formal land release policy in Somalia. Operators clear explosive items on location primarily on a response/call-out basis. Mine action operations are largely EOD and spot clearance tasks.[21]

Survey in 2012

There has been no comprehensive landmine or ERW impact survey conducted in south central Somalia. Non-technical surveys (NTS) are conducted when security, safety, and access allow. Small, rapid, initial surveys in Gedo, Hiran, Bay, and Bakol regions and Mogadishu indicate that over one in 10 communities are impacted by mines and ERW.[22] All districts of Mogadishu are affected by ERW and stockpiles; IEDs present a daily threat to communities, AMISOM peacekeepers, and humanitarian actors.

Mine and battle area clearance in 2012

In 2011–2012, EOD teams from TDI, UOS, DDG, and AMISOM found 17 antipersonnel mines, four antivehicle mines, and 20,000 UXO in six districts.[23]

With UNSOMA support and training in south central Somalia, AMISOM conducted clearance and EOD in all 16 districts of Mogadishu, destroying more than 6,000 items of landmines and UXO.[24]

In 2012, the national police in Mogadishu found and destroyed 1,300 UXO, including more than 100 IEDs.[25]

In February 2013, TDI reported finding and destroying 40 UXO, 72 cannon rounds, and six antipersonnel mines while clearing 13,000m² near the Ethiopian border.[26]

Northeast Somalia (Puntland)

In Puntland, the PMAC coordinates all pillars of mine action on behalf of the government with several local and international partners. No mine clearance has been conducted since the landmine impact survey was completed in 2005, when it identified 35 suspected hazardous areas in Bari, Mudug, and Togdheer regions of Puntland.[27] According to MAG, the impact from mines is unclear and further NTS and technical surveys are required to ensure the cost and impact effectiveness of future clearance of the suspected mined areas near the Ethiopia-Somalia border in Puntland, where most are located. The situation is additionally complicated by community elders in the impacted areas who do not all support clearance of the areas.[28]

In 2012, DDG and police EOD teams destroyed 1,729 UXO and 156 antipersonnel mines in 67 communities. The police also conducted battle area clearance on 12,200m² and PMAC reported they destroyed nine IEDs. MAG closed its police EOD training program in August 2012 as its funding expired. UNOPS provides operational funding and technical support to PMAC and the Police EOD team.[29]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

On 16 April 2012, Somalia became the 160^th State Party to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty. Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Somalia is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 October 2022.