Picture Story - Libya

Sirte, The scars of the intensive fighting that brought down Kaddafi's last stronghold are visible all over the city months after its fall and Kaddafi's death: destroyed houses, burned out cars, damaged water and electricity networks. Most of the 70,000 inhabitants had fled or were evacuated once the fighting moved towards Sirte. "People are coming back to Sirte now" says ECHO's Bruno Rotival. "but because of the remnants of the fighting: unexploded mines, mortars and cluster munitions, many are scared of returning to their homes, reopening their shops and businesses, and especially, of sending their children to school. This is not just the case in Sirte but in all the towns and villages that have seen heavy fighting, such as Misrata and throughout the Nafusa mountains. ECHO is therefore funding the clearance of mines and other unexploded ordinance from public places such as main streets, schools, and hospitals" Rotival explains.

In Sirte ECHO is funding the Danish Demining Group. 'Thanks to ECHO we have three 4-person teams operating every day in the worst affected parts of the city' explains Christian Jacob Hansen, who has been overseeing mine clearance and other humanitarian projects in Sirte recently. 'Currently we are focusing on the centre of the town, which used to be a lively and commercially active area. Clearing the explosives allows people to return to public places and drive safely through the streets.' It is a tough job as there are huge numbers of unexploded ordinances (UXO), for example 500 were cleared away in the first three weeks of this intensive work. 'We get the impression that the people of Sirte really appreciate our work. Their reaction has been very positive, and that's what makes doing this job so satisfying. What better reward could you get from your work?', says Hansen.

Have a look at this picture story for more on ECHO's immediate response just after the fall of Sirte; The fighting may have ended but the needs have not: ECHO and its partners assess the humanitarian situation in Sirte

Photos: Christian Jacob Hansen, Danish Demining Group Nov 2011
Text: H. Veit/ECHO