43% of South now cleared of cluster bombs

Source: AFP, 05-06-2008
TYRE: Almost half the areas in South Lebanon contaminated with cluster bombs dropped by 'Israel' in 2006 have been cleared, a UN official said on Wednesday. "Forty-three percent of the areas affected by cluster bombs dropped during the July 2006 war have been cleared," said Dalya Farran, spokeswoman for UN Mine Action Coordination Center for South Lebanon.
"Efforts are under way to clean 49 percent of the contaminated areas," she told AFP, adding that work had yet to begin in 8 percent of the affected areas.
She said 970 contaminated sites had been found in an area that spanned some 39 million square meters.
Since the war's end in August 2006, cluster bombs have caused "256 civilian casualties between deaths and injuries," added Farran.
She said that there have also been 51 casualties from the Lebanese Army and international forces in the area.
Farran added that 'Israel' had to make known "the number of bombs that were dropped as well as their locations."
"'Israel' has not yet responded to this repeated request from the United Nations," she added.
The United Nations has repeatedly asked 'Israel' to provide a map of the locations of cluster bombs and mines in Southern Lebanon in order to facilitate clearing efforts.
The United Nations says 'Israel' dropped about 4 million bombs on Lebanon between July 12 and August 14, 2006, and that 40 percent of them did not explode when they hit the ground. Most of them are located in towns and fields in Southern Lebanon.