Community · Misratah, Libya
14,066 explosive items cleared from farmland in Misratah
Is unexploded ordnance being cleared in Libya?
Between January and September 2026, implementing partners cleared 14,066 items of explosive ordnance from Al-Sweihli Farm in Misratah, Libya. The UN Support Mission in Libya's Mine Action Programme supported the work. Clearance is still under way, and the city's mayor has asked for help in three more areas.
What happened?
Between January and September 2026, implementing partners cleared 14,066 items of explosive ordnance from Al-Sweihli Farm in Misratah, Libya. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) says its Mine Action Programme supported the work.
The figure comes from a field report by the Libyan Peace Organization. The organisation presented it during a UN team visit to Misratah in September.
Who is doing the work?
The HALO Trust and the Libyan Peace Organization carry out explosive ordnance disposal and risk education. Their project is funded by Italy. The Libyan Mine Action Centre joined the UN team to review progress.
Clearance at Al-Sweihli Farm is still under way.
Why does it matter?
Explosive remnants can stay dangerous for years after they are scattered. They put people at risk when they farm, build or walk across affected land.
The UN team visited Misratah after an explosion in the city’s Al-Sikt area. UNSMIL says that incident, and five similar explosions across Libya in the past four years, left surrounding areas contaminated with explosive ordnance. Its assessments often find that ammunition storage below international standards is a main cause of such explosions.
“Libyan civilians should not be exposed to such dangers,” said Fatma Zourrig, Chief of UNSMIL’s Mine Action Programme.
What happens next?
Misratah’s mayor, Mahmoud Alsgoutri, has asked for support to clear three more areas: Zamzam, Wishka and Abugrein. UNSMIL says explosive remnants of war continue to threaten civilians there.
UNSMIL also aims to strengthen Libya’s national capacity in weapons and ammunition management, so that stockpiles are kept more safely.
What the figures do not show
The release does not say how much land has been made safe or how many people benefit. The work at the farm is not finished, and other parts of Misratah remain contaminated.
Sources & reporting notes
We checked the UNSMIL release of 28 September 2026. The 14,066 figure comes from a field report by the Libyan Peace Organization, as relayed by UNSMIL; it is not an independent audit. The release does not give the land area released or the number of people who benefit. Some secondary reports said residents were returning; that is not in the UN release, so we have not reported it.
- UNSMIL · 28 September 2026
The UN mission's account of the clearance figures, the partners involved and the mayor's request.
- The HALO Trust · Libya
Background on HALO's work in Libya, including Sirte and Misrata.
Have a correction or a confirmed update? Contact our editorial team.
Common questions
- Who is clearing explosive ordnance in Misratah?
- The HALO Trust and the Libyan Peace Organization carry out ordnance disposal and risk education under an Italian-funded project. The UN Support Mission in Libya's Mine Action Programme supports the work, and the Libyan Mine Action Centre took part in the progress review.
- Is the clearance finished?
- No. UNSMIL says clearance at Al-Sweihli Farm is still under way. Misratah's mayor has asked for support in the Zamzam, Wishka and Abugrein areas, where explosive remnants of war still threaten civilians.