UNIFIL ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF 1520 ISRAELI MINES FROM SOUTH LEBANON BEIRUT, NOV 14 (KUNA) -- SPOKESMAN OF THE UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL) TIMOR GOKSEL SAID ON TUESDAY THE PEACEKEEPERS REMOVED 1,520 ISRAELI MINES FROM AN AREA OF 25,1640 SQUARE METERS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS WORK IN THE AREAS WHICH THE ISRAELI TROOPS WITHDREW FROM.
GOKSEL TOLD KUNA UKRAINIAN, SWEDISH AND FINNISH TEAMS IN THE UNIFIL HAVE COMBED THE MENTIONED AREA FROM MINES SINCE JULY 27 TO NOVEMBER FIFTH.
THE SPOKESMEN OF UNIFIL SAID THE TEAMS WORKED ACCORDING TO MAPS RECEIVED BY THE U.N. FORCES FROM ISRAEL.
A SECURITY SOURCE TOLD KUNA THAT AT LEAST ELEVEN CIVILIANS WERE KILLED AND 53 OTHERS WERE WOUNDED IN A MINE EXPLOSION, WHILE TEN LEBANESE SOLDIERS WERE WOUNDED IN THE SAME PERIOD DURING MINE COMBING OPERATIONS.
THE U.N.'S INITIAL ESTIMATION INDICATES THAT ISRAEL PLANTED AT LEAST 130, 000 MINES IN SOUTHERN LEBANON BEFORE WITHDRAWING FROM SOUTH LEBANON ON MAY 24TH FOLLOWING 22 YEARS OF OCCUPATION. (END) HS.AH.HM KUNA 141618 Nov 00NNNN