DEMINETEC in Sarajevo

DEMINETEC operates in Sarajevo

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 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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 Sarajevo

Sarajevo endured the longest siege in modern history: 1,425 days from April 1992 to February 1996, during which the Army of Republika Srpska shelled the city from the surrounding hills with an average of 329 shell impacts per day, peaking at over 3,700 on 22 July 1993. Mortars, artillery, modified air bombs, sniper rounds and anti-personnel mines saturated the urban fabric and the front lines on Mount Trebević, Igman and Žuč.

Bosnia and Herzegovina remains one of the most mine-affected countries in Europe. Mine Action Centres (BHMAC) report several thousand square kilometres of confirmed and suspected hazardous areas, with regular casualties. Sarajevo Canton continues to host clearance operations on former confrontation lines, military barracks and along the M-17 corridor.

Sarajevo's reconstruction — Marindvor, Skenderija, Pofalići and Hrasno — together with infrastructure programmes such as the Corridor Vc motorway (Sarajevo bypass) and BiH Railway modernisation, requires integrated pyrotechnic risk management combining anti-personnel mine clearance, UXO disposal and historical desk studies.

Our services in Sarajevo

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 Sarajevo?

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 Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s explosive contamination stems exclusively from the 1992–1995 Bosnian War. The three warring factions—ARBiH, HVO and VRS—used landmines, placing them near the current-day political entity borders and along the military confrontation lines. By 1996, approximately two million landmines and unexploded munitions were scattered across the country. The majority of the mines used by the three factions were PROM-1, a Yugoslav-manufactured anti-personnel mine later banned by the Ottawa Treaty. The contamination remains concentrated in areas that followed the IEBL dividing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

In May 2014, extensive landslides and the worst flooding since the 19th century unearthed landmines. Authorities sent de-mining workers to locate and deactivate mines threatening residential areas that had already been considered cleared. Sarajevo was addressed through the Mine Free Sarajevo project, launched in April 2019 on International Mine Awareness Day. The project covered Stari Grad, East Stari Grad, Vogošća and Novi Grad, releasing 6 million square metres of previously inaccessible land. During clearance, Mine Detection Dog Center teams found and destroyed 841 explosive devices, comprising 445 mines and 396 unexploded ordnances. The project officially closed on 1 September 2021, and the area was reported as completely mine-free. Its completion enabled the further development of agricultural land and the resumption of infrastructure projects.

Areas and structures concerned

Sarajevo
Stari Grad
East Stari Grad
Vogošća
Novi Grad
Residential areas
Military confrontation lines

Expected ordnance and implications for survey

The cited ordnance includes PROM-1 anti-personnel mines, other landmines, unexploded munitions and unexploded ordnances. PROM-1 mines were manufactured in Yugoslavia and have been banned by the Ottawa Treaty. During Mine Free Sarajevo clearance, teams found 445 mines and 396 unexploded ordnances among 841 explosive devices. The contamination was scattered across defined locations, and clearance used land release methodology combining technical and non-technical methods. Mine Detection Dog Center teams located and destroyed the devices.

FAQ: explosive risk in Sarajevo

What caused the explosive contamination around Sarajevo?

The contamination resulted from the 1992–1995 Bosnian War, during which ARBiH, HVO and VRS used landmines along military confrontation lines and near the current-day political entity borders. In 2014, landslides and flooding unearthed additional mines, including mines near residential areas that had previously been considered cleared.

Which Sarajevo areas were addressed by Mine Free Sarajevo?

The project covered four municipalities in the Sarajevo region: Stari Grad, East Stari Grad, Vogošća and Novi Grad. It cleared 6 million square metres of previously inaccessible land. The project officially closed on 1 September 2021, and the area was reported as completely mine-free.

Reference : Wikipédia — Land mines in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Territorial coverage

DEMINETEC operates in Sarajevo and across Bosnia and Herzegovina 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 Sarajevo

Which munitions are typically found?

In Sarajevo and across Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How long does a mission in Sarajevo 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 Sarajevo

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