90 per cent of landmine clearance completed; Minister Sushil Ranasinghe

11-Aug-2026

.

Around 90 per cent of Sri Lanka’s landmine-clearance programme has been successfully completed, Minister of Housing and Water Supply Dr Sushil Ranasinghe said.

He made this statement while speaking to the media in Colombo on August 10, 2026.

The Minister further said that the remaining 10 per cent of areas requiring landmine clearance cover approximately 20.8 square kilometres and consist of highly complex terrain, including dense forest and coastal areas.

“Despite these challenges, we are confident that the landmines in these areas can be completely cleared and the programme successfully concluded within the next four years.

“As the Government, we are fully committed to providing the necessary support for this programme. Funding has been doubled this year compared to previous years, and further additional funds will be allocated next year,” he said.

He further noted that several international organisations are involved in the country’s mine-clearance operations.

Following recent discussions with a high-level delegation, including the Deputy Minister of Defence and the new Army Commander, plans have been made to deploy 500 specially trained Army personnel for mine-clearance operations.

At present, around 250 Army personnel are engaged in these operations, through which approximately 1.5 square kilometres of land is being cleared annually.

“The progress of Sri Lanka’s mine-clearance programme is at a satisfactory level. We have successfully implemented an effective mine-clearance programme that has earned the appreciation of the international community,” Minister Ranasinghe said.