Oman

Mine Action

Last updated: 08 December 2019

20-Year Summary

The Sultanate of Oman is suspected to be contaminated by mines, though the precise location and extent of any residual threat is not known. In its initial Article 7 report, submitted in 2015, Oman declared that there were no areas in the Sultanate confirmed to be mined, but reported “many” suspected mined areas in the south, particularly in the Dhofar region.[1]

Mine clearance in Oman is conducted by the Royal Army of Oman engineers, but details of where clearance has taken place and the numbers and types of mines have not been reported. In its Article 7 transparency report for 2019, Oman provided a workplan for the release of all its remaining suspected mined areas before 2025.

Treaty status

Mine Ban Treaty

  • State Party: 1 February 2015
  • First Article 5 deadline: 1 February 2025

Other conventions

  • Not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions
  • Not party to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)

 

Management and coordination

National mine action management actors

  • No national mine action center or mine action authority.
  • Oman has reported that it intends to set up a mine action center.

Mine action strategic and operational plans

Oman Article 7 report (for calendar year 2018) includes a plan for completion of clearance before 2025.[2]

Operators

National:
Royal Army of Oman Engineers

 

Impact

Extent of contamination (landmines)

Unknown

 

Addressing the impact

Land release 2014–2018 (5-year total)

2016: Amount of clearance not reported
2017: 1,700m2
2018: 79,200m²
Number of mines destroyed in these years is not reported.

Progress

Landmines

In its most recent Article 7 report, submitted in August 2019, Oman provided a workplan for the release of all remaining suspected mined area before its Article 5 deadline in 2025.[3]

 

Contamination and Impact

According to Oman’s 2015 Article 7 report, during the mid-1960s to mid-1970s the presence of rebel movements in Dhofar led to “vast” areas being affected by antipersonnel and antivehicle mines. After the end of the conflict in 1975, the government made significant efforts to clear the areas, but it is impossible to be sure that the areas have been fully cleared. This is due to three reasons: the size of the region (about 99,000km²); the lack of maps or marking; and the terrain (which includes mountains and valleys), with many mined areas located on steep slopes. In addition, the rain over the years may have scattered the mines.[4]

In 2001, it had been reported that the Royal Army of Oman had mapped seven zones of suspected mined areas based on historical records of battlefield areas, unit positions, and mine incident reports.[5]

Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Oman is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 February 2025.

Oman has submitted annual Article 7 transparency reports. In its most recent Article 7 report, submitted in August 2019, Oman provided a workplan for the release of all remaining suspected mined areas before its Article 5 deadline in 2025.

At the June 2018 intersessional meetings, Oman promised to provide a comprehensive report at the Seventeenth Meeting of States Parties in November 2018, including all the information that was requested on demining activities since the 1970s, what was done as part of their new program, and the support that they will need to complete clearance.[6]

Mine Action Program

Oman does not have a functioning mine action program. In a statement before the Committee on Article 5 Implementation during the June 2018 intersessional meetings, Oman reported that they began implementing a national program in 2017 and are planning to set up a national mine action center but have not specified when this will occur.[7]

In its Article 7 transparency report for 2016, Oman reported that survey and clearance is being performed by its army engineers.[8]

Land Release

Oman has reported clearance of 1,700 m² in 2017 and 79,200m² in 2018, but it has not specified where exactly the clearance took place nor the number or type of mines that were destroyed.[9]



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Initial Article 7 Report, 2015, pp. 4–5.

[2] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2018).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid., pp. 4–5.

[5] “Humanitarian Demining,” Journal of Mine Action, 2001, p. 49.

[6] Statement of Oman, Committee on Article 5 Implementation, 5–8 June 2018.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016).

[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Reports (for calendar years 2017 and 2018).