On the Day of the Army, the Jagua of Ibirico is declared territory free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines

Colombian National Army's humanitarian demining efforts have led to the declaration of three municipalities in the department of Cesar: La Gloria, Becerril and La Jagua de Ibirico as free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines.

Commemorating the anniversary No.214 of Colombian National Army and reaffirming their commitment to Colombia, soldiers of the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No. 3 declared the municipality of La Jagua de Ibirico free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines.

The mine clearance specialists intervened four dangerous areas contaminated with explosive devices, which were cleared by manual, mechanical and trained dog demining techniques in the northwest of the department of Cesar

Second Sergeant Sergio Castro Mensa, leader of humanitarian demining, highlighted the work carried out in La Jagua de Ibirico: "With the implementation of the manual demining technique, 55,600 square meters were cleared in order to free up land with suspected contamination of explosive devices. This operation was carried out by a staff of trained mine clearance specialists, who, despite the climatic variations, did not interrupt their work. With this operation we support the community, restoring tranquility to the peasants and motivating them to return to their lands to cultivate them and make them productive. As mine clearance specialists, it is of great satisfaction to present a municipality free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines."

Another technique that was used was mechanical demining, as explained by Sergeant Ricardo Chica, leader of mechanical demining: "Despite the high temperatures, which exceeded 36 °C, the shortage of water and the compacted terrain, we clear 103,712 square meters and destroy eight explosive devices in a controlled way. This in order to free the municipality of La Jagua de Ibirico from suspicion of mines, which benefited more than 22,300 inhabitants who will now be able to use the land as a duty free zone."

In the village of Caño Adentro, soldiers cleared 32,400 square meters. An explosive device was found and destroyed there. Corporal Cristian Delgado Ibarra, leader of trained dog demining, said: "There were obstacles in the area, such as stones and slopes that made it difficult for the trained dog and the mine clearance specialist to access; in addition to the weather, with temperatures exceeding 39 °C; However, an advantage of this trained dog demining technique is its higher capability, since a trained dog pair can clear up to 600 square meters per day, thus favoring the inhabitants who will carry out productive projects."

Through non-technical studies, the soldiers investigated 18 sectors; freeing 26,261 square meters and destroying three explosive devices. On this occasion, 54,368 people were favored with the presentation of this territory.

During the years 2022 and 2023, the facilitators conducted anti-personnel mine risk education workshops, training and disseminating the pedagogical route to about 10,000 people, promoting a culture of safe behaviors in the face of explosive devices.

In addition, in a show of environmental commitment and vocation of service in defense of the nation, the soldiers, in coordination with the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cesar (Corpocesar) and the Secretariat of Environment and Municipal Tourism, planted 17,250 trees, promoting good environmental practices for the care and protection of ecosystems in this area of the department.

"I thank the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No. 3 for its arduous operation both in the urban area and in rural areas, transporting its entire detachment to help us declare this municipality free of antipersonnel mines, restoring tranquility to all of us who move in this territory," said Jazmín Quintero, secretary of municipal government.

With the declaration of the municipality of La Jagua de Ibirico, Colombian National Army has made that 277 municipalities in Colombia are free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines.

Source: Press - Humanitarian Demining Brigadeciones climáticas, no interrumpió sus trabajos. Con esta labor apoyamos a la comunidad, devolviéndoles la tranquilidad a los campesinos y motivándolos a regresar a sus tierras para cultivarlas y hacerlas productivas. Como desminadores, es de gran satisfacción entregar un municipio libre de sospecha de minas antipersonal».

Otra técnica que utilizada fue el desminado mecánico, como lo explicó saber el sargento segundo Ricardo Chica, líder de desminado mecánico: «A pesar de las altas temperaturas, que superaban las 36 °C, la escasez de agua y el terreno compactado, logramos despejar 103.712 metros cuadrados y destruir de manera controlada ocho artefactos explosivos. Esto con el fin de liberar de sospecha de minas al municipio de la Jagua de Ibirico, lo que benefició a más de 22.300 habitantes que ahora podrán utilizar el terreno como zona franca».

En la vereda Caño Adentro, los soldados despejaron 32.400 metros cuadrados. Allí encontraron y destruyeron un artefacto explosivo. El cabo segundo Cristian Delgado Ibarra, líder de desminado canino, manifestó: «En la zona hubo obstáculos, como piedras y pendientes que dificultaron el acceso del canino y del desminador; además del clima, con temperaturas que superaban los 39 °C; Sin embargo, una ventaja de esta técnica de desminado canino es su mayor rendimiento, ya que un binomio canino puede despejar hasta 600 metros cuadrados al día, favoreciendo así a los pobladores que adelantarán proyectos productivos».

A través con estudios no técnicos, los soldados investigaron 18 sectores; liberando 26.261 metros cuadrados y destruyeron tres artefactos explosivos. En esta ocasión, 54.368 personas fueron favorecidas con la entrega de este territorio.

Durante los años 2022 y 2023, los facilitadores realizaron talleres de educación en el riesgo de minas antipersonal, capacitando y difundiendo la ruta pedagógica a cerca de 10.000 personas, fomentando una cultura de comportamientos seguros frente a los artefactos explosivos.

Además, en una muestra de compromiso ambiental y vocación de servicio en defensa de la nación, los soldados, en articulación con la Corporación Autónoma Regional del Cesar (Corpocesar) y la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Turismo municipal, sembraron 17.250 árboles, promoviendo buenas prácticas ambientales para el cuidado y protección de los ecosistemas en esta zona del departamento.

«Agradezco al Batallón de Ingenieros de Desminado Humanitario N.°3 por su ardua labor tanto en el casco urbano como en las zonas rurales, movilizando todo su destacamento para ayudarnos a declarar este municipio libre de minas antipersona, devolviéndonos la tranquilidad a todos los que nos movemos en este territorio», expresó Jazmín Quintero, secretaria de gobierno municipal.

Con la declaratoria del municipio La Jagua de Ibirico, el Ejército Nacional ha logrado que 277 municipios en Colombia estén libres de sospecha de minas antipersonal.

Autor: prensa - Brigada Desminado Humanitario