International Mine Action Centre

© AP Photo/ Hassan Ammar

ALEPPO, January 31 – RIA Novosti. International Mine Action Centre of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have opened its branch in the city of Aleppo that was recently liberated from militants; the best Syrian military personnel will undergo training there to be subsequently able to participate in demining of liberated territories, according to Igor Mikhalik, Head of the Centre. 

“A training center for specialists from the Syrian Arab Republic has been formed in the city. Applications have already been received, and on January 31, we are starting to train the first group. We expect about 50-70 member of the Syrian army military personnel on the first stage of training,” he said. 

A special combat engineer unit shall be formed of students who have completed training at the center. The unit will participate in demining of Aleppo and other liberated Syrian territories. The training will last for 1 to 3 month depending on course specifics. Theoretical classes will take place in specially equipped classrooms, practical classes – in the field using advanced special-purpose equipment. Experienced Russian specialists will teach at the center. 

“A bad EOD specialist can`t be a good teacher. Only good EOD specialist can teach someone to do his job as good as he himself can do it”, said Mikhalik describing professional skills of teachers. 

According to Mikhalik, a lot of work lies ahead of EOD specialists in Aleppo. “A warehouse with directional anti-personnel mines and cumulative anti-tank mines has been discovered. It is highly important that these types of mines are manufactured on industrial scale. All mines are factory-built and of good quality. In other words we see the traces of the mine war”, he noted.

It has been earlier reported that Russian military EOD specialists demined more than 360 hectares of Aleppo territories and 75 kilometers of roads. Over 1 thousand explosive objects were defused. More than 12 thousand civilians came back to their houses in the eastern Aleppo. They have been provided with all necessary help, according to the Russian defense establishment.