DEMINETEC in Ankara

DEMINETEC operates in Ankara

DEMINETEC, a French company headquartered in La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var), delivers civilian demining (pyrotechnic clearance) and unexploded ordnance (UXO) risk management services to public and private clients in Ankara, Türkiye. We cover the full chain from historical pyrotechnic desk study (EHT) to ordnance neutralisation and disposal, in line with French Decree 2005-1325 and international best practice.

Pyrotechnic historical context of Ankara

Ankara, capital of Türkiye since 1923, has not been a direct conventional battlefield, but Anatolia carries pyrotechnic legacies from WWI (Gallipoli campaign and the Caucasus front), the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923), and decades of operations in the south-east. Türkiye also borders Syria and Iraq, with cross-border issues including PKK and ISIS-related ordnance, and shares the Black Sea UXO context.

Turkish Armed Forces EOD units (Bomba İmha ve EOD) and the Turkish Mine Action Centre (TURMAC) handle clearance along the south-eastern provinces and former military estates around Ankara, Eskişehir and Konya. Türkiye is a NATO member committed to APM clearance under the Ottawa Convention.

Major projects in and around Ankara — Esenboğa Airport expansion, Ankara-Sivas and Ankara-İzmir high-speed rail, Başkent metro extensions, OSTİM industrial redevelopment — increasingly include pyrotechnic risk assessments aligned with NATO STANAGs, IMAS and the French Decree 2005-1325 framework.

Our services in Ankara

Historical pyrotechnic desk study (EHT)

Document research in national and foreign archives to qualify pyrotechnic risk on a site (bombings, combat, depots, ranges).

Pyrotechnic safety study (ESP)

Residual risk assessment, definition of effect zones, safety perimeters and collective protective measures.

Magnetometric geophysical survey

On-site detection of ferromagnetic anomalies, surface or deep, onshore or underwater.

UXO clearance

Extraction, identification and neutralisation / disposal of munitions by our NEDEX / EOD-qualified operators.

Underwater expertise

Survey and clearance in ports, rivers and offshore environments, in partnership with our group company SEMTEC.

Why choose DEMINETEC for Ankara?

French licensed company, ISO 9001 and MASE certified, compliant with French Decree 2005-1325.
Teams of former French Navy and Army EOD operators (NEDEX / EOD qualifications).
Over 30 years of accumulated experience in France and on international projects.
Onshore and underwater intervention capacity through the DEMINETEC group (SEMTEC, GEODE, DEMINETEC ECG).
Quick response: quote within 48 hours, rapid mobilisation in France and abroad.

War history and explosive contamination in Ankara

Landmines were first used widely in World War II in 1939. During later conflicts, anti-personnel mines remained in place after fighting and created continuing risks for civilians, refugees, livestock and vehicles. Angola had approximately 10–20 million land mines in place from its civil war in January 1997, while Bosnia was among the countries visited during international efforts to highlight injuries and deaths, particularly among children. Rwanda cleared more than 9,000 mines laid between 1990 and 1994, checking and clearing 1.3 square kilometres in twenty minefields during a three-year campaign.

Turkey reported that its forces laid 615,419 anti-personnel mines along the Syrian border between 1957 and 1998 to prevent illegal border crossings. These mines killed Syrians who became trapped at the border or attempted to cross near Kobanî. Turkey was required to destroy all anti-personnel mines under the treaty but missed deadlines. As of 18 November 2014, Human Rights Watch reported that more than 2,000 civilians remained in the Tel Shair corridor section of the mine belt because Turkey refused entry for cars or livestock, while refugees did not want to leave their belongings. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was also associated with extensive landmine use by Russia and reported anti-personnel mine use by Ukrainian government forces in and around Izium in 2022.

Areas and structures concerned

Syrian border
Tel Shair corridor
Kobanî
Angola
Rwanda
twenty minefields in Rwanda

Expected ordnance and implications for survey

The ordnance described includes anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines, mixed anti-tank and anti-personnel munitions, remote-controlled Claymore mines, cluster bombs, unexploded bomblets, anti-handling devices and other static explosive devices. Anti-personnel mines may remain lethal after a conflict and require detection, clearance and destruction. Cluster-munition bomblets can also remain a hazard for civilians after hostilities. Anti-tank mines are not covered by the Ottawa Treaty, and manually triggered Claymore mines require a sentry. The treaty permits limited retention of mines for training in detection, clearance and destruction techniques.

FAQ: explosive risk in Ankara

What Turkish area is specifically associated with extensive anti-personnel mine contamination?

The documented Turkish mine belt is along the Syrian border. Turkish forces reportedly laid 615,419 anti-personnel mines there between 1957 and 1998. The Tel Shair corridor and the area near Kobanî were identified in connection with civilian deaths, refugees and restrictions affecting cars, livestock and movement.

Why can former minefields remain an explosive risk after fighting has ended?

Anti-personnel mines can remain in the ground after a conflict and continue killing or injuring civilians, refugees and others attempting to cross affected areas. Clearance requires locating and destroying the mines. Rwanda’s campaign involved checking and clearing 1.3 square kilometres in twenty minefields and removing more than 9,000 mines.

Reference : Wikipédia — Ottawa Treaty

Territorial coverage

DEMINETEC operates in Ankara and across Türkiye from our French head office (285 avenue Marcel Paul, 83500 La Seyne-sur-Mer, France). We mobilise teams and technical assets to fit each mission: documentary studies, short field surveys, or long-duration clearance operations.

Frequently asked questions about UXO clearance in Ankara

Which munitions are typically found?

In Ankara and across Türkiye, the most frequently recovered items include artillery shells, hand grenades, landmines, aerial bombs and — in coastal areas — naval mines. Exact typology depends on the site history and is the focus of the prior historical desk study (EHT).

Does French Decree 2005-1325 apply abroad?

French Decree 2005-1325 governs civilian pyrotechnic clearance on French soil. Internationally, DEMINETEC uses it as a best-practice benchmark alongside IMAS (International Mine Action Standards) and the contractual requirements specific to Türkiye.

How long does a mission in Ankara typically last?

Duration varies with surface area, investigation depth and anomaly density. An EHT desk study takes 2-6 weeks, a magnetometric survey from a few days to several months, and active clearance from a few weeks up to multiple years for major projects.

Do you operate underwater?

Yes. Through our subsidiary SEMTEC and the DEMINETEC group, we provide commercial diving, underwater magnetometry and submerged-ordnance neutralisation for ports, rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

Contact DEMINETEC for Ankara

For any historical study, diagnostic or pyrotechnic clearance request, contact our teams:

DEMINETEC SAS
285 avenue Marcel Paul
83500 La Seyne-sur-Mer, FRANCE
Tél: +33 (0)9 52 51 00 63
Email: contact@deminetec.com