- Title: Kurdish group clears landmines north of Raqqa
- Date: 20th June 2017
- Summary: AIN ISSA, SYRIA (JUNE 20, 2017) (REUTERS) MEMBERS OF KURDISH ROJ MINE CONTROL ORGANIZATION (RMCO) SEARCHING FOR MINES AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES PLANTED BY ISLAMIC STATE (IS) MILITANTS RMCO MEMBER SEARCHING FOR MINES / RMCO SIGN READING (Arabic): "DANGER OF MINES" RMCO MEMBER SEARCHING FOR MINES BADGE ON RMCO MEMBER OUTFIT SHOWING THE ORGANISATION LOGO VARIOUS OF RMCO MEMBERS LOCATING MINES AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF THE KURDISH ROJ MINE CONTROL ORGANISATION, YUSSEF, SAYING: "We are working on removing mines in this electricity field; we are doing humanitarian work to ensure there is electricity and water. These mines were planted by Daesh to prevent forces from entering the area and liberating it." RMCO MEMBERS SEARCHING FOR MINES VARIOUS OF RMCO MEMBER PREPARING EXPLOSIVES TO BE DESTROYED BLOCK NEAR ROAD WITH DANGER SIGN ON IT VARIOUS OF DESTROYED BUILDING RMCO SIGN ON BLOCK ELECTRICITY STATION AND DESTROYED BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF UNIT AT THE KURDISH ROJ MINE CONTROL ORGANIZATION, IBO, SAYING: "Daesh planted this mine to kill civilians, humans. They planted it here so no one can enter the electricity station and work on providing people electricity. We, as a civil organisation, came here to clean the whole area for electricity to work so civilians can live and see. We cleaned this whole area." EXPLOSIVE DEVICE, WITH WORDS READING (Arabic): "STATE OF THE CALIPHATE" AREA SAID TO HAVE BEEN CLEARED OF MINES EXPLOSIVE DEVICES NEAR BUILDING VARIOUS OF RMCO MEMBERS PREPARING EXPLOSIVES TO BE DESTROYED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF UNIT AT THE KURDISH ROJ MINE CONTROL ORGANIZATION, IBO, SAYING: "We brought these explosive devices here to prepare and destroy them so nothing of them would be left in this electricity field. We want to clean this area spoilt by Daesh. We, as Roj organisation, want to clean this electricity area completely. We want to do this humanitarian work." IBO PREPARING TO DESTROY EXPLOSIVE DEVICES RMCO MEMBERS DESTROYING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES
- Embargoed: 4th July 2017 16:42
- Keywords: Syria Raqqa Syria war Syria conflict Islamic State landmines Kurdish organisation de-mining
- Location: AIN ISSA, SYRIA
- City: AIN ISSA, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016M328UF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Members of a Kurdish group cleared landmines planted by Islamic State from a village north of the Syrian province of Raqqa on Tuesday (June 20).
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, made up predominantly of Kurdish fighters, have seized territory to the north, east and west of Raqqa in its offensive to recapture the city from the militants.
Civilians trapped in the area risk being killed by snipers or mines if they try to flee but could be used by the militants as human shields if they remain, the International Rescue Committee said this month.
The city of about 200,000 has been the base of operations for Islamic State. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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