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Non-Profit Clears 300,000 Landmines in Sri Lanka, Restoring Homes for Over 280,000 People

By Jessica Stewart on November 18, 2025

In a bit of good news to brighten your day, British non-profit The HALO Trust has announced that it has removed its 300,000th landmine from Sri Lanka. Remnants of a three-decade-long civil war, the removal of these explosives has allowed over 280,00 Sri Lankans to return home after being internally displaced.

When the civil war ended in 2009, over 1.5 million landmines were left buried, primarily in the country’s northern and eastern provinces, where fighting was prolific. This caused a mass exodus in the population, who moved elsewhere due to fear of being harmed by these unmarked landmines. By working diligently over the past 20 years, nearly 30,000 acres of land have been marked safe and landmine-free.

“I am happy to share the very encouraging news for the people of Kilinochchi District, which was greatly affected by landmines and cluster bombs causing many to lose limbs,” shares Subramaniyam Muralithran, government agent of Kilinochchi. “We have cleared 300,000 targets in mine clearance work. This achievement will help restore resources for resettlement and peaceful living. It also gives us confidence that the natural life of the mine-affected areas can be bravely rebuilt.”

Not only will people be able to reclaim their rightful homes, but the area can also be opened up for tourism again. This will provide some vital economic growth to the area, as they can now profit from the $3 billion in tourism income that flows into the country annually. Hidden gems within this area include the city of Jaffna, which is home to an ornate 400-year-old fort covered in intricate carvings and gold domes.

Thanks to the work of HALO Trust, which relies on the hard work of over 1,200 locally employed staff that disarms these landmines, Sri Lanka is one step closer to meeting its goal of being landmine free by 2028.