Reply #62: Video: Landmines in residential areas of Ajdabiya

[Iterate]

http://www.libyafeb17.com/
or
http://youtu.be/gx8lutpA6Yc

Translation:
This(points to mine on the table) one was found planted at the entrance of the city of Ajdabiya. It was used by Gaddafi’s brigades. This mine cannot be detected using ordinary detectors.

There are plenty of them, planted randomly. And by randomly, I mean there are no maps or information about the field. We were able to disable a majority of those mines.

They were planted near the main road a distance not more than 3 meters from the side of the road. This poses a serious threat to the lives of civilians.

(Are they planted in a residential area?)
Yes, a residential area. These locations may be used as a rest area for families when they are travelling. That area is full of residents.

These types of mines are forbidden by International Law. It’s forbidden to plant these mines, it’s forbidden for them to be used in any way.

This type of mine were never present here before. I know this as a specialist in this area, a military engineer. This is an advanced recently released model.

Some of these mines exploded on a vehicle that belongs to the electricity department. They were trying to fix the high voltage.

That area is sandy, take a look at the colour of the mine. This makes it difficult to visually detect. This mine has the ability to seriously injure any individual it is inflicted upon or even result in death. The least it can do is amputate a limb.

It isn’t affected by exposure to the elements, natural factors. Like heat and humidity and can survive for hundreds of years as they are made of plastic materials. It cannot be detected by the equipment that we currently have. Our method of detection is pure luck.

This is the mine and it was detected by accident near a vehicle belonging to the electricity department that was trying to adjust the high voltage lines. The mine is forbidden by international law by the Geneva Convention. It forbids the use of such mines especially in resident areas

They were planted in large amounts.

Back on April 18th, you may remember the BCC filmed a group of rebels planting mines near Ajdabiya, and shortly after that the TNC reasserted its commitment to forbid the use of landmines by forces under its control. It was never established that the group the BBC filmed was necessarily under anyone's control, or if they were acting independently. As far as I know, it's the only such incident by any rebel forces.