Introduction

Over long decades of external aggressions and civil war, various areas of Lebanon have become contaminated with different types of explosive hazard, including anti‐personnel mines, anti‐tank mines, sub-munitions, IEDs and varied other Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in the form of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Abandoned Explosive Ordnance (AXO). In addition to the threat of injury and death that these pose, the livelihoods of thousands of people residing in contaminated areas have been adversely affected.

In this NMAS the entire variety of explosive hazards in Lebanon is referred to as Explosive Ordnance (EO) for brevity.

Bearing the responsibility to clear the country of the impact of all EO, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) has assigned responsibility for coordinating and implementing Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) operations to the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC). The LMAC’s duties include being responsible for the coordination of the National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) in which all relevant pillars of mine action are addressed.

This document sets out the minimum standards required when conducting Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) as part of Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) in Lebanon. The requirements for EO search and clearance are covered under other relevant NMAS and must be complied with along with the provisions described in this document.