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LUANDA. — Angola has destroyed more than 14 000 landmines planted in the country during its 27-year civil war. The mines are a deadly remnant of the civil war, one of the longest in Africa, which ended in 2002. The National Demining Institute (INAD) has presided over the destruction of the landmines in the northern Bengo Province as part of an ongoing demining process in Southern Africa’s largest country by area.

Some 14 796 unexploded ordnance have been destroyed in the Icau locality of Dande municipality following an exercise that has been carried out since last Friday. Several metals, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines are among the devices that have been destroyed.

“This is part of the ongoing demining process in the country,” Paulo Canganjo, INAD head of operations in Bengo, said. The demining process in the country of 29 million people aims to rid the former Portuguese colony of landmines.

Angola attained independence from the European country in 1975.

A power struggle between the liberation movements, People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) soon after thrust the country into civil war.

The war left more than 500 000 people dead and over 1 million internally displaced in the resources-rich country. SIX people have over the past year been killed after explosions by landmines planted during the Angolan civil war from 1975-92.— CAJ News.