Why are landmines laid?
A question rarely asked but highly significant. Those in armed conflicts often wish to protect their own positions, look-out posts, ammunition stores, depots, access routes and roads and much more and in some cases landmines are used to protect these areas. Also, where many countries protect their borders with safe official controls (the type we come across when traveling by road from one country to the next) a few countries restrict entry into their countries by the more severe methods of laying landmines.Landmines can also be laid under duress. If a community is being captured by a rebel group some people are forced to protect their own surrounding areas by laying mines. Once the rebels retreat the community is still left mined and dangerous.
