Deminers injured in mine blasts

by Dinasena Ratugamage

Four deminers were wounded on Saturday due to mine explosions.Police Spokesman, SSP Nihal Thalduwa, told the media that the incident had happened in Mullaitivu.

Thalduwa said the deminers had been clearing unexploded mines in the former war zone when two explosions occurred injuring four of them and damaging a bulldozer.

The victims were undergoing treatment at Mullaitivu Hospital, and police were conducting investigations, he said.

Thalduwa said when the war ended in 2009, there had been about 1.6 million mines in many parts of Northern Sri Lanka. However, due to the efficiency of deminers, only about 15 kilometers remained to be cleared of mines at present, he said.