Landmines in Libya: Destructive devices pose grave threat to civilians

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A rebel commander, Alejmi Ali Ahmed, with Type-72SP antivehicle mines, produced in China, and T-AB-1 antipersonnel mines, produced in Brazil, removed on July 6, 2011, from two minefields west of al-Qawalish village in the Nafusa Mountains. © 2011 Sidney Kwiram/Human Rights Watch 231072
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A rebel commander, Alejmi Ali Ahmed, 49, removing a Type-72SP antivehicle mine and T-AB-1 antipersonnel mines west of al-Qawalish village in the Nafusa Mountains on July 6, 2011. © 2011 Sidney Kwiram/Human Rights Watch 231072
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A Type-72SP antivehicle mine, produced in China, found near a boy scout building west of al-Qawalish village in the Nafusa Mountains on July 6, 2011. © 2011 Sidney Kwiram/Human Rights Watch 231072
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Libyan rebels found and removed more than 150 of these antipersonnel landmines, the Brazilian-made T-AB-1, which government forces had placed north of Zintan in the Nafusa Mountains. © 2011 Human Rights Watch 231072
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Libyan government forces have also placed the T-AB-1 landmine in Misrata. The T-AB-1 plastic antipersonnel mine has a low metal content and is therefore difficult to detect. © 2011 Human Rights Watch 231072
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A live Chinese-produced Type-84 Model A antivehicle mine scattered into the port area of Misrata, Libya on the night of May 5, 2011. © 2011 Faraj al Kewedeir 231072
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A vehicle belonging to Misrata port workers damaged after hitting a Type-84 Model A mine, two workers were injured in the blast. © 2011 Faraj al Kewedeir 231072
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A view of the top of a Type-84-Model A antivehicle mine in the port of Misrata, the parachute slows the descent and orients the mine after it is scattered from its carrier rocket. © 2011 Faraj al Kewedeir 231072
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The remnants of a Type-84 Model A mine after it exploded, port workers shot the mines with rifle fire – the safest method of clearing this specific type of mine given its sensitive fuzing system. © 2011 Faraj al Kewedeir 231072
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The fuze on this Type-84 Model A mine is very sensitive and can detonate the mine in response to changes in its surrounding magnetic environment and the mine can also self-destruct without warning within four hours to three days after being scattered. © 2011 Faraj al Kewedeir 231072
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A body of a Belgian-made NR422 bounding fragmentation mine and associated fuzes found at a military camp at the East Gate of Ajdabiya, Libya. The packing dates on the storage containers (not pictured) for these mines indicated they were shipped to Libya in 1981. © 2011 UNMAS 231072
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A Brazilian-made T-AB-1 plastic antipersonnel mine found by Amnesty International researchers in Misrata, Libya. © 2011 Amnesty International 231072
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Boxes of plastic anti-tank mines at a military depot in Benghazi. According to the rebel military authorities, there are 12 such warehouses filled with anti-tank mines at this location alone. © 2011 UNMAS 231072
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Boxes of looted plastic anti-tank mines at a military depot in Benghazi. Local fishermen looted the mines to use the explosives for fishing. © 2011 UNMAS 231072
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Anti-tank mines left behind by government forces on the outskirts of Benghazi. © 2011 Human Rights Watch 231072
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Chinese-made Type-72 metal cased anti-tank mines found in a recently laid minefield near Ajdabiya. © 2011 Human Rights Watch 231072
Human Rights Watch has confirmed the use of six types of landmines in seven separate locations. Additionally, three types of mines have been found abandoned at two other locations. Among the mines used include the Type-84 Model A mine, a remotely-delivered mines whose use has never before been recorded. Antipersonnel and antivehicle mines have been used by government forces and the rebels, although the National Transitional Council signed a pledge on 28 April 2011 not to use landmines. Landmines pose a grave danger to civilians, in particular to the deminers who must clear and destroy them. Several of the mines used in Libya have characteristics such as sensitive fuzes, low-metal content, self-destruct mechanisms, and possible booby-traps that make them especially dangerous.
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