Janus Global Operations in 2016 eliminated more than 440,000 landmines and other unexploded ordnance devices in multiple countries

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2016, Janus Global Operations (JGO), an integrated stability operations company, recovered or destroyed 440,736 landmines and other items of unexploded ordnance JGO discovered during projects it executed in multiple countries and conflict areas.

The company cleared more than 90.2 million square meters of land (approximately 36 square miles) of landmines and unexploded ordnance on individual projects for the U.S. government, friendly foreign governments, and commercial clients in oil and gas, mining, and other industries in 2016.

A portion of JGO's work takes place in Iraq, where it is helping to mitigate booby traps, Improvised Explosive Devices, landmines, and other dangerous devices left behind by ISIS as it was forced out of Iraqi towns and territory.

"The removal of these dangerous explosives means threats are eliminated, citizens can return to their homes, and the area can now be used productively," said Matt Kaye, JGO president and CEO. "Each time we remove a device, it is no longer a menace to civilians or the military. Each cleared area is now usable for residential, commercial, or agricultural pursuits."

JGO also cleared unexploded ordnance on firing ranges previously used by the U.S. military in other countries as well as in the U.S. Among the countries in which JGO performed these tasks in 2016 were Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and multiple other locations.

Among JGO 2016 projects:

• Clearing thousands of items of unexploded ordnance, abandoned explosive ordnance, and IEDs in and around Ramadi, Iraq, after it was liberated from ISIS forces; many of the explosive devices were booby-traps left by ISIS to kill and maim soldiers and civilians. In May 2016, JGO's work in Ramadi was spotlighted in a report by ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz.
• Working with the Iraqi-Kurdistan Mine Action Agency, JGO found and mitigated 1,246 explosive devices and cleared 655,000 square meters of land.
• As part of a U.S. Army project team, assisting with the disposal of more than 5,000 tons of unserviceable and unrepairable munitions and explosive remnants of war.
• Clearing landmines and other explosive devices in and around the site of a U.S. diplomatic center in Baghdad, Iraq.
• Clearing land of explosive devices in southern Iraq and other locations to permit safe commercial oil and gas exploration and production.

"Cleaning up explosives-contaminated areas is a form of environmental remediation," Kaye said. "Explosives are a contaminant, and eliminating those contaminants is an important part of the process of ensuring the environment is again safe to use."

Already in 2017, JGO is carrying out demining and unexploded ordnance removal or management in several countries. Kaye said that, "security concerns often preclude JGO from discussing in detail projects in which it is engaged until they are completed."

"Our clients, whether governmental or commercial, are seeking the safest possible environment in which to conduct their business and to protect their employees," he said. "We're glad to be in a position to serve them, to participate in making former conflict areas safe, and to play a role in combating violent extremism by fostering local employment and allowing displaced populations to return home and resume their lives."

Janus Global Operations is an integrated stability operations company with thousands of employees serving clients in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South and East Asia. JGO's services include munitions response; demining; intelligence support; logistics; life support; risk management; communications; and other services in some of the world's most challenging and hostile environments.

The company's website is www.JanusGo.com.

SOURCE Janus Global Operations

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