Czech police aid in demining efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nine Czech police bomb disposal experts recently participated in demining operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the mission, which took place from Sept. 21 to Oct. 5, 2024, the Czech team assisted in clearing the former Žunovnica ammunition depot near Sarajevo.

Together with their Bosnian colleagues, they managed to remove a total of 70 pieces of unexploded ordnance over an area of approximately 3,000 square meters, Czech Police spokesperson Irena Pilařová states through a press release.

Unexploded ordnance remains a persistent legacy of the civil war in the 1990s in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Žunovnica ammunition depot was utilized by the Serbian side and became a target of airstrikes during Operation Deliberate Force in September 1995, which affected 55 ammunition depots and scattered ordnance over an area of about 1.6 million square meters.

Czech bomb disposal experts have established a good reputation in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to their experience and long-term collaboration. In recent years, Czech police units have cleared areas in Vrbětice following 2014 ammunition depot explosions attributed to Russian agents.

“Our bomb disposal technicians gained invaluable experience from the remediation of a large area following the explosion of two ammunition depots in Vrbetice in 2014," explains Pilařová. "We were able to share this knowledge with our Bosnian colleagues.”

The recent mission involved cooperation with local partners from the Federal Administration of Civil Protection (FUCZ) and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Center (BHMAC). Preparations for the demining work included essential safety procedures, such as planning evacuation routes and practicing the evacuation of injured personnel.

The bomb disposal teams then marked off operational zones and safety corridors, focusing on the removal of materials up to a depth of 30 cm. All discovered ordnance was destroyed at the end of the mission. However, demining is a long-term process, and the Czech team plans to return to Bosnia.

“Improving the qualifications of Bosnian bomb technicians contributes to greater safety for local residents and enhances the prestige of the Czech Republic on the international stage,” adds Pilařová.