Former veteran during the Bosnia and Herzegovina’ (BiH’s) 1992-1995 war died while trying to deactivate a landmine on Tuesday, spokesperson of the cantonal ministry confirmed to local media.
The former member of BiH’s army died from the injuries caused by an explosion during demining in the city of Bihac, located some 310 kilometers northwest of the capital Sarajevo.
“We received confirmation from the hospital that Mehrudin Dedic had died of the injuries he had received while trying to deactivate an unexploded mine,” said Ale Siljdedic, a spokesman for the Una-Sana Cantonal Ministry of Interior.
According to statements for police by neighbors and witnesses, Dedic attempted to put the mine in the Museum of BiH’s Army behind his family home, local media wrote.
After the 1992-1995 war, 1,756 people were injured by mines or unexploded ordnance, of which 613 were killed. During the de-mining operations in BiH, 51 deminers were killed, BiH Mine Action Center reported earlier.
According to estimations done by the Center, over 20 years after the war ended in BiH, 2.2 percent of the country’s territory is still covered by mines, out of which, 60 percent is located in the woods, Xinhua reports.
