VIENTIANE, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Joint cooperation between Laos and Russia to combat the unexploded ordnance (UXO) threat in central Laos' Borikhamxay province has seen progress after the project began a month ago, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Tuesday.
An official in charge of the Ministry of National Defence's Humanitarian UXO Demining Army Unit 58 (U58) gave an update on the progress made so far on Monday.
Head of U58 Lt. Col. Phonkeo Orladom said military personnel from the two countries had teamed up to clear about 10 hectares of the site by using equipment supplied by Russia.
"We found 44 bombies (BLU26) buried about 25-40 centimeters below the surface, which we detonated in situ after informing the district authorities," the official said.
"We still haven't found any large bombs yet," he added.
To achieve their objective of clearing all the UXO on the other 90 hectares, 130 km east of the Lao capital Vientiane, before the project ends next year, Laos and Russia will continue to work together in the field, the official said.
"Both sides are satisfied with their good cooperation and highly appreciate the results. The Russian military also provided a training course on the use of the equipment they supplied," he added.
The mission of Lao military and Russian military engineers to assist in demining activities in Laos will continue until the plan is completed. The project is part of the framework of cooperation between the governments and armed forces of Laos and Russia.
Unexploded American-made bombs still lie buried in large tracts of Lao land after being dropped during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1973. Most of them are cluster and anti-personnel bombs, of which one-third have not been defused, leaving more than half of Lao provinces at risk of tragic accidents.
