After 27 years of clearing landmines and unexploded bombs, the HALO Trust has finished its humanitarian demining work in Kosovo.
The charity is closing its operations in the country and handing responsibility for any remaining contamination back to Kosovo’s national mine action authorities.
HALO said mine clearance was one of the prerequisites that made Kosovo’s recovery possible. Cleared land increased domestic food security and reduced the country’s reliance on imported food aid. When refugees returned to build homes and start businesses, they needed safe ground.
Thousands of Kosovars worked for HALO over three decades, helping make their own country safe. The trust noted that most humanitarian interventions do not end, but HALO’s do.
Founded in 1988, HALO Trust has cleared more than 13 million landmines and unexploded ordnance items worldwide, destroyed over 53 million bullets and immobilized 3,300 heavy weapon systems. The charity trained local teams who led the work for decades, building lasting expertise in safe land clearance.