Officer killed in mine clearing operation

By Charlie Charalambous

A HIGH-RANKING National Guardsman was killed yesterday during an operation to clear a minefield near the buffer zone outside Nicosia.

Sergeant-major Stelios Masinis, 32, from Aglandjia, was killed instantly when a 1974 anti-tank mine exploded in front of him during the military operation in Potamia village south of the capital.

He was trying to remove the mine when it suddenly exploded.

The death raised questions about safety precautions used during army mine- sweeping operations.

“The methods used by the National Guard are those internationally recommended and used by most Nato countries,” said Defence Minister Yiannakis Chrysostomis dismissing the criticism yesterday.

This was not the view of House Defence Committee member Marios Matsakis, who said the army did not have the specialised equipment to remove primitive mines.

“The methods used for removing old mines are a death trap, and it’s ridiculous to say the methods used are the approved ones,” said Matsakis.

He said that, despite recommendations from the House, the National Guard had failed to purchase the necessary equipment to clear decades-old rusty land mines.

Masinis was leading a group of National Guardsmen to remove mines placed at the Potamia mine field after the Turkish invasion 25 years ago.

The village, 20 kilometres from the capital, is situated on the edge of the buffer zone, and UN observers witnessed the tragic accident.

Masinis was described as an expert mine sweeper, who specialised in clearing old mines of the type that killed him.

Chrysostomis ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident soon after visiting the site.

Five years ago, two National Guardsmen who killed in a similar operation in Pyla near Larnaca.

There are an estimated 73 minefields located within 500 metres of the 180- km buffer zone and some 38 minefields and booby trapped areas within it.

At least 16,000 landmines are still buried on the island.

Cyprus has signed the March 1 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines.

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