Russia completes mine clearing operation in southern Serbia
22/12/2008 15:08 MOSCOW, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russian sappers have completed an operation to clear an airport near Nis, Serbia's second-largest city, of unexploded ordnance left after the 1999 NATO bombing, a Russian emergencies ministry spokesman said on Monday.
During the NATO bombing of the former Yugoslavia, which forced Serbia to withdraw its troops from Kosovo, cluster bombs were frequently fired on the south Serbian city of Nis. Unexploded bombs from the war have yet to be disarmed in several areas of Serbia.
"A total of 737,000 square meters (4.7 million square feet) of territory was examined, 451 unexploded munitions were discovered," the source said.
Russia and Serbia signed an agreement to clear NATO bombs during a brief visit by the Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu in April.
In July, Russia sent 60 explosives experts to Serbia to provide assistance in clearing the territory. The work around Nis began on August 1
The second phase of the mine clearing operation in Serbia, which will be extended to areas and facilities primarily in the oil and gas industry, will last until 2012.
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