Blinded in Haftar’s war, Libyan deminer Mahmoud seeks justice as mine danger persists

The UN reports over 444 million square metres of Libya remain contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance, a legacy of Khalifa Haftar’s failed 2019-2020 Tripoli offensive. These weapons, many planted by Russian Wagner forces, have killed 400+ people in five years, including Mahmoud Al-Dileh’s twin brother during a demining attempt. Al-Dileh, an electronics engineer turned deminer, was blinded and severely crippled in the same blast, facing eventual leg amputation. He condemns Haftar and Wagner as war criminals for targeting civilians, noting their ongoing impunity. Now dependent on carers, he struggles to support his wife and child on a meagre stipend. His greatest wish is to see his family’s faces—a possibility doctors say requires overseas treatment. With clearance estimated to take 15 years, Libya’s mine crisis continues to claim lives daily.

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#Libya #LibyaConflict #LibyaUnrest #LibyaMines #LibyaLandmines #UnitedNations #KhalifaHaftar #WagnerGroup

Post from Al Jazeera on May 11, 2025

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