Algeria
Mine Action
Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline: 1 April 2017
(On track to meet deadline)
Recommendation for action
- Algeria should improve its reporting to ensure accurate data is publicly available on progress achieved as well as the extent of land remaining to be cleared.
Contamination
Algeria is affected by antipersonnel mines as a result of World War II, the French colonial occupation, and the insurgency of the 1990s. During Algeria’s struggle for independence, mines were laid by the French along the Challe and Morice lines on the eastern and western borders of the country. Algeria has estimated that more than 10 million mines were laid,[1] with a density of more than three mines per square meter in some instances.[2] Algeria conducted a first clearance phase from 1963 to 1988, during which some 500km2 of mined areas were cleared by manual and mechanical means, resulting in the destruction of more than 7.8 million antipersonnel mines.[3] A second clearance phase began in November 2004.
In 2011, Algeria declared that all suspected minefields located along its southwest border had been cleared, meaning that remaining contamination is located in the northwest and east of the country only.[4] Algeria has identified 17 mined areas still requiring clearance, but the precise extent of contamination is not reported. Algeria most recently reported in June 2011 that confirmed hazardous areas containing mines along the Challe and Morice lines covered more than 13.5km2.[5]
Six of 48 wilayas in Algeria still contain suspected mined areas, as set out in the table below. Algeria reported that as of March 2015, a total of 14 communes with mined areas over a length of 172km remained in the east of the country, down from 23 in 2013: eight in El Tarf, one in Tébessa, two in Souk-Ahras, and three in Guelma. In the west, three minefields covering 7.4km2 remained to be addressed, down from 10 in 2013: one in Tlemcen, and two in Nâama.[6]
Contamination by province as of March 2015[7]
Wilaya |
Mined areas |
Length (km) |
El Tarf |
8 |
82 |
Guelma |
3 |
40 |
Nâama |
2 |
135 |
Souk-Ahras |
2 |
30 |
Tébessa |
1 |
20 |
Tlemcen |
1 |
43 |
Total |
17 |
350 |
Occasionally, “isolated” antipersonnel mines are also found outside known mined areas. Between January 2007 and March 2015, 1,235 mines were found in such circumstances, including 168 mines between March 2014 and March 2015.[8] In addition, the north of the country is said to be contaminated by an unknown number of artisanal mines and other explosive items laid by insurgent groups.[9]
Program Management
The Interministerial Committee on the Implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, set up by presidential decree in 2003, is the governmental focal point for all mine action activities in Algeria.
In 2006, a joint mine action capacity building project was established with the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The project was initially planned to last three years, but was extended until December 2013.[10] In April 2014, the UNDP representative in Algeria explained that the project aimed to facilitate implementation of Algeria’s mine action strategy as well as to support national authorities’ efforts on mine risk education.[11] The outputs and outcomes of this project have not been publicly reported.
All demining activities are carried out by the Algerian army. As of June 2014, five military units were deployed to conduct clearance.[12]
Land Release
The total of mined area released by manual clearance in 2014 was 6.4km2, compared with 5.5km2 in 2013.
Algeria reported in its revised extension request that it would only use manual clearance during demining operations because machines were not considered a sufficiently reliable clearance method and could not be used in mountains or on rocky terrain.[13]
Clearance in 2014
Algeria reported clearing more than 6km2 of mined areas in five wilayas in 2014, destroying more than 42,000 antipersonnel mines (see table below). This represents a 16% increase in cleared area compared with 2013.
Mine clearance in 2014[14]
Wilaya |
Areas released |
Area cleared (km²) |
Antipersonnel mines destroyed |
El Tarf |
1 |
1.5 |
13,849 |
Tébessa |
2 |
0.9 |
4,309 |
Souk-Ahras |
4 |
1.6 |
16,695 |
Tlemcen |
3 |
2.4 |
7,575 |
Total |
10 |
6.4 |
42,428 |
Progress in 2015
According to Algeria’s mine action plan, in 2015 operations would start in Guelma, conclude in El Taref, and be underway in Souk-Ahras, Tébessa, and Nâama. Operations in Tlemcen were planned to conclude in 2014, but as of March 2015 one area remained to be addressed. In its most recent Article 7 report, Algeria reported the release of one area in Souk-Ahras in March 2015 with the destruction of 5,220 antipersonnel mines and clearance of 0.5km2 of land.[15]
Article 5 Compliance
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the five-year extension granted by States Parties in 2011), Algeria is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2017. Algeria’s consistent clearance results suggest that it is on track to meet its 2017 deadline.
In June 2014, Algeria stated that clearance operations were proceeding according to the national workplan set out in its extension request.[16] As of 31 December 2014, Algeria reported that 81km2 of mined areas had been released since November 2004, resulting in the destruction of 950,896 antipersonnel mines, of which 80% were found during planned clearance operations (see table below for clearance in 2010–2014).[17]
Mine clearance in 2010–2014[18]
Year |
Area cleared (km2) |
2014 |
6.4 |
2013 |
5.5 |
2012 |
3.3 |
2011 |
3.9 |
2010 |
7.8 |
Total |
26.9 |
Algeria’s latest extension request, submitted in March 2011, cited as justifications for its inability to complete clearance on time the delay in initiating clearance operations, the choice of purely manual demining, climatic conditions, and the extent of contamination.[19]
In August 2011, a revised extension request was submitted providing a clearer picture of the remaining problem.[20] It also included a detailed workplan for 2012–2017 containing annual milestones against which progress could be compared. By the end of June 2015, Algeria projected that operations would be underway in four wilayas (El Taref, Souk-Ahras, Tébessa, and Nâama). Operations in Guelma would only start in late 2015. Operations in Tlemcen were planned to conclude in April 2014, although in its May 2015 Article 7 transparency report, Algeria reported that one mined area still remained to be cleared in this wilaya.
Algeria has systematically funded its mine action program through its own resources, though it has never provided details of expenditures or cost estimates for clearance operations.
In its 2011 extension request, Algeria noted that deminers could sometimes be called away for urgent demining operations elsewhere in the country, which could impact on its ability to complete clearance on time. Additionally, Algeria reported that demining is “particularly challenging” in three mined areas in the northwest of the country—at Moghrar oasis, at Tiout, and at a third minefield close to the town of Ain Sefra.[21] In October 2014, Lieutenant-Colonel Telli Mohamed from the Algerian Army mentioned difficulties in locating mines due to landslides and rocky terrain.[22]
[1] Revised Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2011, p. 5.
[2] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, February 2014, p. 3.
[3] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, May 2015.
[4] Revised Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2011, p. 6.
[5] Statement of Algeria, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Standing Committee on Mine Action, Geneva, 21 June 2011.
[6] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, May 2015, Annexes 2.1–2.2.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, May 2015.
[9] Ibid.
[10] UNDP, “Appui à la formation et la mise en œuvre d’un plan national d’action contre les mines” (“Support for the development and implementation of a national mine action plan”), undated.
[11] UN Information Centre, “Journée international de la sensibilisation au problème des mines et de l’assistance à la lutte anti-mines: Mme Cristina Amaral invite d’honneur au Forum de la mémoire d’El Moudjahid” (“International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action: Ms. Cristina Amaral guest of honour at the forum of El Moudjahid”), 2 April 2014.
[12] Statement of Algeria, Mine Ban Treaty Third Review Conference, Maputo, June 2014.
[13] Revised Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2011, p. 7.
[14] Article 7 Report, May 2015, Annexes 1.1–1.3.
[15] Article 7 Report, May 2015, Annexe 1.1.
[16] Statement of Algeria, Mine Ban Treaty Third Review Conference, Maputo, June 2014.
[17] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, May 2015.
[18] Ibid., Annexes 1.1–1.3.
[19] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 March 2011, p. 7.
[20] Revised Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2011.
[21] Ibid., pp. 21–22.
[22] “Déminage: l’Algérie aurait entamé l’opération sur ses territoires juste après l’indépendance” (“Demining: Algeria started its operations just after independence”), AlgerieScoop, 22 October 2014.