Washington, October 28: A mines expert was killed in Cyprus on Wednesday while clearing landmines on the divided island, the United Nations said.
Femisberto Novele, a 49-year-old from Mozambique, was the first fatality since a project to clear the “Green Line” between Turkish and Greek Cypriot forces began five years ago.
The incident occurred southeast of the capital Nicosia.
Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief pro-Greek coup. A United Nations force monitors a 180 km (116 mile) ceasefire line.
To date, the mission has removed and destroyed more than 14,000 mines and cleared 57 minefields.
—Agencies