Near the village of Chonto, our team discovered 30 huge aircraft bombs amongst the wreckage of a plane shot down during the Russian-Georgian war. They were in a highly unstable state, threatening the lives of local families. Overcoming the challenging mountainous terrain, we carefully destroyed the bombs, ensuring a safe future for the people of Chonto.
Abkhazia
The war of 1992-3 resulted in tens of thousands of landmines being laid across Abkhazia. For 14 years HALO worked to make land safe until, in 2011, Abkhazia was declared landmine free.
But a hidden danger remained. It emerged that, during the fighting, people were keeping salvaged explosives in their homes in order to sell the valuable metal for scrap. Alick Azhiba contacted us when he feared a landmine he had hidden during the war now posed a risk to his two young girls. We found it buried beneath the floor, directly below the cot of one-year-old Anastasia.
Decades after the war ended, these unexploded items—in homes and ammunition stores—continue to threaten lives. In 2017, a military ammunition store close to the village of Primorsky, exploded, killing three people. Explosives were scattered across the village, putting thousands of people like Jambul at risk.
“It was hell here. After the first explosion, there was an explosion every two minutes. I evacuated my family and everybody I could reach. Just here in my field, there were 30 – 40 unexploded bombs.”
Jambul, Primorsky, Abkhazia
Our Work
HALO works to build trust with local communities in order to locate and destroy explosives safely. We oversee the Abkhazia Mine Action Office, which keeps detailed reports and maps of areas that have been made safe—a vital resource for anyone developing the land. We also support development by repairing damaged roads and bridges in rural areas, to prevent people getting cut off from essential services such as schools, doctors and markets.
Two years on from the explosion at Primorsky, we have cleared people’s homes, fields and gardens so families can rebuild their lives. We will continue to work until the surrounding land is safe.
“I was very worried about my grandchildren. We did not go into the garden until HALO had made it safe. If someone found a dangerous item, HALO would come and take it away. I would like to thank everyone at HALO who cared about us.”
Elena, Primorsky, Abkhazia
Elena and her grandchildren will never forget the day that explosives rained down on Primorsky, when a nearby ammunition store exploded. But for the past two years, HALO has worked to clear the thousands of explosives that covered the village, so that families can begin to recover.
Stories from Georgia & Abkhazia
Alan and Aslan: Making Primorsky Safe
A harvest of bombs
The Story of Georgia’s Largest Remaining Minefield
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