UN says Israel planted landmines in Lebanon as four wounded

One British and one Bosnian deminer working for London-based company ArmorGroup on a United Arab Emirates-funded project had their feet amputated after being struck by a landmine Friday, UN spokeswoman Dalya Farran told AFP Saturday.

A third deminer, a Lebanese, suffered less serious injuries in the incident in Deir Mimas close to the Israeli border, south of the town of Marjayoun.

The deminers initially thought the explosions were the result of cluster bombs but on Saturday a team from another London-based firm, BACTEC, went out to investigate and another British deminer was wounded in what turned out to be a minefield.

"It is a landmine," the spokeswoman for the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre said. "It is an Israeli No 4 anti-personnel mine. It was newly planted during the summer conflict.

"It is the first evidence we have at the United Nations that Israel used landmines during the latest war."

Asked how the deminers knew that the mines were newly planted, the spokeswoman said that the Deir Mimas area had been demined after previous conflicts.

"When you're an expert and you see a minefield, you know if it's newly planted -- the mines remain shiny and obviously fresh," she added.

A landmark 1997 treaty ratified by 151 nations banned the use, manufacture or stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines.

Around 40 countries remain outside the treaty, including major powers such as China, Russia and the United States as well as Israel.

"We plan that by the end of the day we will be issuing a statement on what action we as the United Nations plan to take," the spokeswoman said.

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