Peru soldier steps on land mine planted by Shining Path in VRAE

An 18-year old soldier stepped on a land mine in Peru’s remote Apurimac and Ene River Valleys, or VRAE, during a routine patrol of the densely forested San Judas mountain, reported daily El Comercio. Jhoni Kaynicelima Tabray lost his right foot on Saturday, after stepping on a homemade landmine in VRAE, where the army is [...]

Peru requests extension on deadline to remove land mines

Peru is filing a request to the international Mine Ban Treaty, or Ottawa Convention, to extend to 2012 its deadline to remove anti-personal land mines within Peruvian territory. The current deadline is 2009. Gonzalo Gutiérrez, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, told Andina news agency that a lack of infrastructure and a limited budget have slowed down [...]