Turkey

Mine Action

Last updated: 30 October 2018

 

Treaty status

Mine Ban Treaty

State Party
Article 5 deadline: 1 March 2022
Not on track

Mine action management

National mine action management actors

Turkish Mine Action Center (TURMAC)

United Nations (UN)

UN Development Fund (UNDP)managing demining operators and quality assurance along the eastern border and supporting capacity development of TURMAC

Mine action legislation

Law No. 6586 on the “Establishmentof a National Mine Action Center and Amendment of Some Other Laws” adopted in January 2015

Mine action strategic plan

Draft national strategic mine action plan for 2018–2020 not yet adopted

Mine action standards

Provisional standards based on the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS)

Operators in 2017

Turkish armed forces
Denel MECHAM (MECHAM) with national sub-contractor Altay
RPS-Explosive Engineering Services (quality assurance and quality control)

Extent of contamination as of July 2018

Landmines

164km2 CHA in addition to 701 SHAs (extent unknown)
Extent of contamination: massive

Cluster munition remnants

None

Other ERW contamination

Contamination includes IEDs

Land release in 2017

Landmines

0.82km2 cleared, 0.07km2 released and 7.5km2cancelled. 26,381 antipersonnel mines and 29 antivehicle mines destroyed (this includes results from 2016)

Progress

Landmines

Phase 1 of the European Union Eastern Border Mine Clearance project on border with Iran completed at end of 2017. Phase 2 due to start in May 2018
Demining is being conducted to enable safe construction of a Border Security Surveillance System along the Syrian border. Once completed, this is expected to allow for planned demining of the Syrian border to commence
In 2017, no clearance was conducted along the southeastern/Iraqi border or in non-border areas

Notes: CHA = confirmed hazardous area; SHA = suspected hazardous area; ERW = explosive remnants of war; IEDs = improvised explosive devices; UXO = unexploded ordnance.

 

Contamination

The Republic of Turkey is contaminated with antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with more than 164kmof confirmed mined area across 3,061 confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs), as summarized in the table below. A further 701 areas are suspected to be mined, but the area they cover and the number of mines that may lie within them remain to be qualified,[1] therefore the total contaminated area is likely to be significantly larger.

This is a reduction in baseline contamination compared to the end of 2016, when 177km2of mine contamination was reported across 3,080 CHAs.[2] The suspected mined area at the end of 2017 was unchanged from a year earlier.

The great majority of antipersonnel mines in Turkey are found alongits borders. The mines were laid in 1955–1959 all along the border with Syria, as well as on some sections of the border with Armenia, Iran, and Iraq in 1992–1995,[3] and with Azerbaijan.[4] According to Turkey, its western borders with Bulgaria and Greece, as well as the border with Georgia, are mine-free.[5] Mines were also laid around military installations.[6]

Contamination by region (as of end 2017)[7]

Region

CHAs

Area (m2)

AP mines in CHAs

AV mines in CHAs

SHAs

Area (m2)

Syrian border

1,301

139,040,431

413,117

194,649

84

Unknown

Iraqi border

596

2,862,835

79,017

0

373

Unknown

Iranian border*

455

17,974,376

171,844

0

38

Unknown

Armenian border

42

1,097,077

20,275

0

0

0

Non-border areas

667

3,107,849

34,410

0

206

Unknown

Total

3,061

164,082,568

718,663

194,649

701

Unknown

Note: AP = antipersonnel mine; AV = antivehicle mine.
* A section of mined area also intersects with the Azerbaijan border.

Government forces emplaced landmines during the 1984–1999 conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK) in the southeast of the country. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, these mines have been progressively cleared since 1998.[8] In addition to mines laid by Turkish security forces, non-state armed groups have also emplaced mines and IEDs, rendering the clearance process more complex.[9]

The number of mined areas along the Iraqi border, as well as part of the Iranian border, is an estimate, as, according to Turkey, precise calculation is hampered by terrorist activities and the presence of unconfirmed mined areas. In addition, fewer mines are expected along the Syrian border than indicated because of detonations by smugglers and as a result of wildfires.[10]

Mine contamination in Turkey has both a humanitarian and economic impact. Up to 80% of mined areas along the Syrian border are on arable land, which cannot be used. The risk to livestock is widespread, especially where fencing is damaged. Mined areas have also prevented access for development activities.[11]

Northern Cyprus

Turkey’s original Article 5 clearance deadline was 1 March 2014. In 2013, States Parties granted Turkey an eight-year extension until 1 March 2022, for clearance of mines in Turkey, but Turkey did not request additional time for clearance of the areas it controls in northern Cyprus[12] (see the Cyprus Mine Action profile for further information).

Program Management

In January 2015, Law No. 6586 on the “Establishment
of a National Mine Action Centre and Amendment of Some Other Laws” was adopted by the Turkish Grand National Assembly; the law entered into force on 3 February 2015. The law aims to define the modalities
and identify the functions, jurisdictions, and responsibilities of the national mine action center (NMAC), which will carry out clearance of mines and/or unexploded ordnance (UXO) to humanitarian standards in Turkey.[13] The law entitles the NMAC to elaborate policies for this clearance; to plan and steer related activities and monitor their implementation; and to carry out the necessary coordination and cooperation with domestic and foreign institutions.[14]

The NMAC was established on 3 February 2015 under the Ministry of National Defense, and called the Turkish Mine Action Center (TURMAC).[15] A director was appointed in August of the same year.[16] By February 2016, core staff had been recruited and the center was in the initial stages of becoming operational.[17] However, there has been a high level of turnaround in senior-level positions at TURMAC, including the directorship. Under Law 694 of 15 August 2017, TURMAC reports directly to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of National Defense.[18]

TURMAC’s capacity-development efforts are being implemented in partnership with the UNDP and the GICHD, as well as other national partners.[19] A capacity needs assessment conducted by the UNDP and the GICHD in October 2016 highlighted several capacity gaps for TURMAC.[20] Responding to the findings of the assessment, Turkey subsequently reported significant progress in improving the structure of TURMAC, taking steps to better coordinate with other state institutions, and conducting recruitment of qualified personnel and intensive training to strengthen capacity.[21] Development of standing operating procedures (SOPs) and “other organizational arrangements” are still underway.[22]

Strategic planning

Turkey does not have a national strategic mine action plan in place. Delays in developing a plan were attributed to the general elections in November 2015 and the attempted coup in July 2016. As of June 2017, a national strategic mine action plan for 2017–2019 had been drafted and Turkey reported it expected the strategy to be adopted by the end of 2017.[23] However, in December 2017, Turkey reported that a draft national strategic mine action plan for 2018–2020 was expected to be adopted by the Council of Ministers before the end of 2018.[24] Subsequently, Turkey declared in its latest Article 7 transparency report that a national strategic mine action plan for 2019–2021 was drafted and was expected to be approved and published in the Official Gazette in 2018.[25] The three-year plan reportedly covers national capacity development, survey and clearance of mined areas, provision of mine risk education, and assistance to mine victims.[26] It includes plans for survey of SHA and CHA on the southeastern/Iraqi border, the Syrian border, and non-border areas.[27]

Turkey’s workplan is divided into planned survey and clearance per region and will be finalized after TURMAC has adopted its national mine action strategic plan. Further revisions were probable due to ongoing investigation and survey of mined areas in the border regions.[28]

Syrian border

The Syrian border is estimated to account for two-thirds of the mines and close to 90% of the remaining mined area in the country. Officials observed it is also the easiest border to clear because the terrain is flat and there has been minimal displacement of mines as a result of factors such as land erosion.[29] Minefields in this region are clearly mapped, marked, fenced, and reported to be well known to the local population.[30]

Clearance has been delayed due to armed conflict in Syria.[31] This is with the exception of the demining being conducted to enable safe construction of a Border Security Surveillance System along Turkey’s border with Syria, which commenced in 2016.[32] According to online media sources, the three-meter-high wall is being built behind minefields and deep ditches, and is reinforced with barbed wire and steel fences, and there are also watch towers and around the clock military patrols.[33] Demining efforts in support of the construction of the surveillance system also include survey and clearance of areas suspected or confirmed to contain mines of an improvised natureand other explosive devices deployed by non-state armed groups.[34] As of December 2017, TURMAC expected that the Border Security Surveillance System would be completed in May 2018. Once completed, the Border Security Surveillance System will reportedly allow for planned demining of the Syrian border to commence.[35]

Eastern borders

In May 2015, an Integrated Border Management Project was launched, under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior in a joint project with the UNDP. The project, which is funded by the EU, Turkey, and the UN, aims to address the humanitarian and border management challenges posed by mine contamination, and to contribute to social and economic development through demining and more secure borders in eastern Turkey.[36] Under the project, the UNDP is managing the demining operations and quality assurance along the eastern border and supporting the capacity development of TURMAC.[37]

Clearance operations for Phase 1 of the project began in June 2016, and were completed by the end of 2017.[38] The demining component was implemented by Denel MECHEM (MECHEM), as part of a consortium in which national operators were sub-contracted by MECHEM.[39] A total of almost 3.3kmof mined area was released (637,685mcleared, 75,445m2reduced, and 2,583,110mcancelled) and more than 24,000 mines were destroyed in 2016 and 2017.[40] This was considerably less than the expected results of clearance of 223 mined areas over an area of just less than 11.67kmand the destruction of 189,863 antipersonnel mines.[41]

Phase 2 of the project, which was expected to start in May 2018, was planned to result in the release at least 1.2km2.[42]

Areas currently being cleared as part of the EU Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project will remain as restricted areas (due to their location) even after completion of mine clearance. TURMAC reported that survey and clearance is conducted geographically from north to south in order to improve cost, time, and labor efficiency; but that clearance of other areas was prioritized according to impact.[43]

Southeastern/Iraqi border

Under the draft strategic mine action plan for 2017–2019, survey is planned of suspected mined area in Sirnak province (in parts of the province bordering Iraq) in 2018 and of confirmed mined area in this province in 2019; and of suspected mined area in Hakkari province in 2019.[44] Clearance along the southeastern/Iraqi border was not scheduled to commence until 2019, after completion of Phase 2 of the Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project,[45] and because of the conflict in Syria.[46] Clearance of the 969 mined areas, totaling just over 2.86km2, was scheduled to take place in 2019–2021, with the destruction of 79,017 antipersonnel mines. This represents all known mine contamination in this region.[47]

Non-border areas

The draft national mine action plan for 2017–2019 reportedly includes plans for survey of suspected mined area in interior areas of Mardin, Siirt, and Sirnak provinces in 2018, and Hakkari province in 2019; and survey of confirmed mined area in Diyarbakir and Siirt in 2019.[48]

Turkey reported at the Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties in December 2017 and in its Article 7 report for 2017 that demining activities will soon commence in the non-border areas, which account for less than 2% of all contaminated areas in Turkey, and that non-technical survey is planned for 2018.[49]

Legislation and standards

As noted above, national mine action legislation was adopted in January 2015.

To date, demining has proceeded on the basis of provisional standards, using the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) as a template.[50]

The UNDP and the GICHD are assisting TURMAC to formulate new national mine action standards based upon IMAS and the provisional standards elaborated for the EU eastern border clearance projects.[51] Turkey reported that it had developed a land release policy relating to the Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project, which will allow for efficient land release.

In April 2017, a set of National Mine Action Standards, including a land release policy, were sent to the National Standards Institute of Turkey for approval; this was expected to occur in the course of 2018.[52] The first meeting of the National Standard Review Board was due to be held in the first half of 2018 and twice a year thereafter, attended by the relevant agencies.[53]

In its latest Article 7 transparency report, Turkey reported that development of SOPs was still underway.[54]

Quality management

Following an international competitive tender process, the UNDP awarded a contract for quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) services to RPS-Explosive Engineering Services in March 2016. In April 2016, the UNDP and TURMAC completed the accreditation of RPS-Explosive Engineering Services, and the company then began the accreditation process for the mine clearance contractor, MECHEM, under the Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project.[55]

In addition, TURMAC oversees on-site operations and regularly attends operational working group meetings in the field.[56]

In 2017, TURMAC personnel were given training in ISO 9001 quality management system (a total of 12 courses), as well as mine action quality management training by the GICHD. The quality management of military demining troops will be conducted by TURMAC personnel.[57]

Information management

The UNDP and the GICHD are supporting TURMAC for the establishment of a functioning information management system.[58] The UNDP maintained a project database to record all operational data related to Phase 1 of the Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project, until a national mine action database could be established in TURMAC.[59]

In 2017, the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) was established[60] and was expected to become fully operational in 2018.[61] A significant number of personnel both from TURMAC and military demining troops have been trained on IMSMA. In addition to military demining troops, IMSMA will also be used in Phase 2 of the Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project.[62]

Due to national security concerns, much of the minefield data remains classified, presenting a challenge to mine action information management in Turkey.[63]

Operators

In 2017, mine clearance operations in Turkey were conducted by MECHEM, under the Eastern Border Mine Clearance project, and by the Turkish armed forces along the Syria border, to support construction of the Border Security Surveillance System.[64]

MECHEM, a South African company, which is partnering with national sub-contractor Altay, was awarded the tender for mine clearance under Phase 1 of the EU Eastern Border Mine Clearance project by the UNDP in December 2015.[65] MECHEM was subsequently accredited in Turkey, and as of June 2017, was employing 140 deminers. Accreditation for mine detection dogs (MDDs) was granted in 2017, and as of June 2017, 30 MDDs were being deployed by MECHEM, along with one MineWolf machine.[66] As noted above, RPS, a United Kingdom-based company, was contracted for QA and QC.[67]

Military demining troops were accredited for their manual demining capacity in 2017.[68] As of June 2017, demining units of the Turkish armed forces had a total operational capacity of 85 deminers, six MDDs, and four machines.[69] In December 2017, Turkey reported that it planned to triple the number of military demining units in 2018,[70] and in its latest Article 7 report, Turkey reported that the establishment of five new demining companies had been approved by the Ministry of National Defense. The procurement of equipment, including demining equipment, for the new demining companies was reported to be underway and was planned to be finalized before the end of 2018. Three of the five new teams were planned to be operational by the end of 2018 and the remaining two teams in 2019.[71]

Land Release

In 2017, Turkey reported a total of more than 0.82kmof clearance, during which 26,381 antipersonnel mines and 29 antivehicle mines were destroyed.[72] In addition, Turkey released a further 0.07kmthrough technical survey and cancelled more than 7.5kmthrough non-technical survey.

However, survey and clearance data reported by Turkey in its Article 7 report for 2017 includes the amount of land (in square meters) released by Turkish armed forces for both 2016 and 2017, which was not formally reported previously. The clearance results for 2016 for the armed forces, previously provided by the TURMAC and reported in Turkey’s mine action profile for 2017, appear to be incorrect. The survey output (in square meters) reported for MECHEM for 2017, also includes 2016 output.[73]

Survey in 2017

In 2016 and 2017, Turkey cancelled more than 7.5kmof mined area (2.58kmon the Iran border and 5kmon the Syria border) and reduced over 75,000mthrough technical survey (see table below).[74] Results of a comprehensive desk assessment of minefield records of the eastern and Syrian Borders conducted in 2016 were not reported in Turkey’s transparency report for 2016,[75] and were instead included in the latest reporting for 2017.[76]

Antipersonnel mine survey in 2016 and 2017[77]

Province

Operator

Area cancelled (m2)

Area reduced by TS (m2)

Iran border

MECHEM

2,583,110

75,445

Syria border

Turkish Army Demining Units

5,000,000

0

Total

 

7,583,110

75,445

Note: TS = technical survey.

On the Syrian Border, non-technical survey was conducted in Hatay region, where it was found that the areas registered as suspected had been used as agricultural land for many decades and the area has been mine-free. Consequently, approximately 5kmof SHA has been cancelled.[78]

In addition, with respect to non-border areas, Turkey reported that non-technical survey had been conducted at a previously used military range (2.5km2) in Eskişehir province, where the Trans-Anatolia Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project will be built. The area “was determined as safe and delivered to the relevant authorities.”[79] This area was not included in Turkey’s cancellation figures for 2017, and it is unclear whether or not this area was recorded as a suspected mined area in the first instance.

Clearance in 2017

In its Article 7 transparency report for 2017, more than 0.82kmwas reported as cleared: over 0.57kmon the eastern border with Iran and 0.25kmon the Syrian border (see table below). The area of land cleared on the Syrian border, however, relates to clearance in both 2016 and 2017.

Antipersonnel mine clearance in 2016 and 2017[80]

Province

Operator

Area cleared (m2)

AP mines destroyed

AV mines destroyed

Iran border*

MECHEM

514,921

15,667

0

Turkish Army Demining Units

59,195

10,679

 

Syria border

Turkish Army Demining Units

250,000

35

29

Total

 

824,116

26,381

29

Note: AP = antipersonnel mine; AV = antivehicle mine.
*A section of mined area also intersects with the Azerbaijan border. Demining operations in this area were initiated in 2017. The work along the Azerbaijani border segment is planned to be completed in 2018.

On the eastern border with Iran, MECHEM, with sub-contracting partner Altay, cleared 514,921min 2017, under Phase 1 of the EU Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project. In addition, military Demining Troops cleared a further 59,195mof land on the Iran border, which “accounts for approximately 1 million mof suspected hazardous area in Iğdır province and Doğubeyazıtz district of Agri province.” Turkey also reported that, “The land will be released in 2018 after verification. Additional minefields which accounts for 603,710m2of contaminated area will also be released.” During these operations, “IMSMA has been used and quality control is assured.”[81]

Turkey also reported clearance of 250,000m2by military demining units in Karkamış and Elbeyli regions on the Syrian border, with the destruction of 25 antipersonnel mines and 29 antivehicle mines.[82] However, this relates to land released through clearance for both 2016 and 2017.

Clearance on the Syrian border was conducted as part of demining efforts in support of the construction of the Border Security Surveillance System, with the released land delivered to the relevant authorities to be used as customs areas.[83] While Turkey did report destruction of 414 antipersonnel mines in its Article 7 report for 2016, as part of this Syria border project, it did not formally report the corresponding area cleared (in square meters), as QA/QC procedures had not yet been completed, and the Turkish armed forces demining units were not yet accredited operationally at that time.[84] The TURMAC previously reported that more than 3.3kmhad been cleared long the Syria border in 2016.[85] Based on the 250,000mclearance subsequently reported by Turkey in its most recent Article 7 report, it appears that the 3.3kmreported previously by the TURMAC was inaccurate and included a significant proportion of cancelled area, not just clearance output.

No mine clearance was conducted in 2016 or 2017 along the southeastern/Iraqi border or in non-border areas.[86]

Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the eight-year extension granted by States Parties in 2013), Turkey is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2022. Turkey will not meet this deadline.

Turkey’s original Article 5 deadline was 1 March 2014. In 2012, Turkey acknowledged to the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties that it would seek an extension to its deadline.[87] In March 2013, Turkey submitted a request for an eight-year extension to its deadline until 2022 to complete clearance of all mined areas. Turkey stated that the envisaged timeframe was subject to revision pending progress with tenders and clearance activities on the ground.[88]

In its 2013 extension request, Turkey cited a number of circumstances that had impeded it from carryingout mine clearance, including: delays in
the establishment of an NMAA and NMAC that
will supervise clearance activities; adverse weather conditions allowing clearance to be conducted for only five or six months a year; security problems posed by the continuation of the terrorist threat; mined territory contaminated with metal residue resulting from the fight against terrorism; uncertainties about the mine-free status of some areas due to the irregular completion
of registration forms; and topographical challenges. According to Turkey, the eastern and southeastern borders and non-border areas are the most complicated to address due to topographical difficulties.[89]

In granting the 2013 Article 5 deadline Extension Request, the Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties recalled the number of efforts to be carried out during 2013–2014, crucial to the success of the implementation of Turkey’s plan, and requested that Turkey report to the Third Review Conference in June 2014 on: the tendering processes for clearance along Turkey’s border with Syria and the results of any related demining efforts and annual milestones of expected progress; the tendering processes for the clearance of areas along Turkey’s eastern borders; developments in the establishment of the NMAA and NMAC; and process in clearance of mined areas in non-border areas.[90] Turkey did not provide an update on clearance progress at the Third Review Conference, but did subsequently submit a workplan in March 2015.[91]

Turkey revealed in its 2013 extension request that since 1998 it had only cleared a total of 1.15kmof mined area, close to three-quarters of which took place in one year (2011), with destruction of 760 antipersonnel mines and 974 antivehicle mines. In addition, military teams had cleared 24,287 mines, but only to allow safe movement of troops, not to release a contaminated area.[92]

Turkey’s total mine clearance to date only amounts to a tiny fraction of its overall mine contamination, and more than 14 years after becoming a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty, Turkey has only made marginal progress in addressing mine contamination. While mine clearance has subsequently also taken place in 2014, 2016, and 2017, little more than 1.1km2of mined area has been cleared in total over the last five years (see table below).

Phase 1 of the EU Eastern Borders Mine Clearance Project (in the provinces of Ardahan, Kars, Igdir, and Agri) commenced in June 2016 was completed by the end of 2017. Phase 2 was due to begin in 2018.

Mine clearance in 2013–2017[93]

Year

Area cleared (m2)

2017

824,116[94]

2016

122,764

2015

0

2014

157,251

2013

Unknown

Total

1,104,131

 

Based on the current rate of clearance, Turkey will not complete implementation of Article 5 by its deadline in 2022. While TURMAC reported in 2017 that Turkey was planning to meet its Article 5 deadline it also recognized potential obstacles, including: the possibility that the demining contractor for the EU Eastern Border Mine Clearance Project will not meet its deadline for Phase 1; potential delays for Phase 2; the fact that political uncertainties in Syria and Iraq may hinder survey and clearance activities on these borders, in addition to non-state armed groups hindering demining operations in other areas; and weather conditions limiting clearance to no more than seven months a year.[95]

 

 

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the primary mine action research in 2018 and shared all its country-level landmine reports (from“Clearing the Mines 2018”) and country-level cluster munition reports (from “Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2018”) with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[2] Ibid.; and email from Lt. Col Halil Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[3] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, pp. A-1 and A-5.

[4] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[5] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Standing Committee on Mine Action, Geneva, 23 May 2012; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, p. A-1.

[6] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, pp. A-1 and A-5.

[7] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[8] Response to Landmine Monitor questionnaire by Elif Comoglu Ulgen, Head, Disarmament and Arms Control Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 July 2008.

[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, p. A-5.

[10] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2015), Form C.

[11] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, pp. A-4 and A-7.

[12] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013.

[13] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” Annex 1; and Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form A, 2015.

[14] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” Annex 1; and Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form A, 2015.

[15] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), Form F.

[16] Interview with Gen. Celalettin Coban, Director, TURMAC, and Col. Ali Güngör, Mine Action Officer, Strategic Planning Branch, TURMAC, in Geneva, 18 February 2016.

[17] Interview with Gen. Coban, and Col. Güngör, TURMAC, in Geneva, 18 February 2016.

[18] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for 2017), Form A.

[19] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for 2016), Form H; statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Committee on Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance, Geneva, 8 June 2017; and statement of Turkey on International Cooperation and Assistance, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 21 December 2017.

[20] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form A; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Committee on Article 5 Implementation, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[21] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[22] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[24] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[25] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[26] Ibid.

[27] Email from Lt.-Col. Halil Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[28] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2015), Form F; and email from Lt. Col Halil Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[29] ICBL interview with Ömer Burhan Tüzel, Serhan Yiğit, and Ramazan Ercan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Abdullah Özbek, Ministry of Interior, Ankara, 5 May 2011.

[30] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Fifteenth Meeting of States Parties, Santiago, 29 November 2016.

[31] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” pp. 3 and 8; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Fifteenth Meeting of States Parties, Santiago, 29 November 2016.

[32] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Reports (for calendar years 2016 and 2017), Form A.

[33] “Walls, drones and mines: Turkey tightens border as Syria incursion deepens,” Reuters, 3 March 2017; and “Amid terror threats, Turkey extends its ‘Great Wall’ on Syrian border,” Daily Sabah Turkey, 3 January 2017.

[34] Email from Lt.-Col. Halil Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[35] Interview with Col. Zaki Eren, Director of Operations Department and Acting Director of TURMAC, and Maj. Can Ceylan, Head of Quality Management Section, in Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[36] UNDP, “Mine Action Programming: Turkey,” February 2016.

[37] Email from Hans Risser, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, 3 October 2016.

[38] Email from Lt.-Col. Halil Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017; interview with Col. Eren, and Maj. Ceylan, TURMAC, in Vienna, 20 December 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[39] Interview with Gen. Coban, and Col. Güngör, TURMAC, in Geneva, 18 February 2016.

[40] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[41] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” p. 7. The UNDP subsequently announced slightly revised figures for Phase 1, reporting a plan to clear 551 minefields covering more than 15km2, and to destroy a total of 222,000 landmines along the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. UNDP, “Turkey, UNDP begin clearing landmines along eastern borders,” 4 April 2016.

[42] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[43] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[44] Ibid.

[45] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” p. 7.

[46] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[47] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities,” pp. 7 and 8.

[48] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[49] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[50] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities.”

[51] Email from Hans Risser, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, 3 October 2016; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2015), Form F.

[52] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[53] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[54] Ibid.

[55] Email from Hans Risser, UNDP, 3 October 2016; and UNDP, “Preparatory work for demining,” undated.

[56] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[57] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[58] Interview with Col. Güngör, TURMAC, in Geneva, 18 February 2016.

[59] Interview with Hans Risser, UNDP, Geneva, 7 September 2016.

[60] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[61] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[62] Ibid.

[63] Interview with Hans Risser, UNDP, Geneva, 7 September 2016.

[64] Email from Lt.–Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017; and interview with Col. Eren, and Maj. Ceylan, TURMAC, in Vienna, 20 December 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[65] UNDP, “Turkey, UNDP begin clearing landmine along eastern borders,” 4 April 2016.

[66] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[67] UNDP, “Turkey, UNDP begin clearing landmine along eastern borders,” 4 April 2016.

[68] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[69] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[70] Statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[71] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[72] Ibid., Form D.

[73] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Forms A and D; Article 7 Report (for 2017), Form D; and email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.

[74] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[75] Ibid.; and statement of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Standing Committee on Victim Assistance, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[76] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[77] Ibid.

[78] Ibid.

[79] Ibid.

[80] Ibid., and Form D.

[81] Ibid., Form A.

[82] Ibid., and Form D.

[83] Ibid., Forms A and D.

[84] Interview with Col. Imren, and Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, in Geneva, 7 February 2017.

[85] Emails from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017; and from Cpt. Gun, TURMAC, 16 November 2017.

[86] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[87] Statements of Turkey, Mine Ban Treaty Eleventh Meeting of States Parties, Phnom Penh, 1 December 2011; and Twelfth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 5 December 2012.

[88] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, p. A-13.

[89] Ibid., pp. A-11, A-12.

[90] Decision on Turkey’s Article 5 deadline Extension Request, Mine Ban Treaty Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties, 5 December 2013.

[91] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2014), “Workplan for mine clearance activities.”

[92] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, pp. A-8 and A-9.

[93] See Landmine Monitor and Mine Action Review reports on clearance in Turkey covering 2012–2016; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 29 March 2013, p. A-9.

[94] Includes some clearance results for 2016.

[95] Email from Lt.-Col. Şen, TURMAC, 21 June 2017.