PESHAWAR, Dec 6: It would take ten to twelve years and a financial assistance of up to 500 million US dollars to clear the land mines in Afghanistan.

This was disclosed by the chairman of the Afghan Campaign to Ban Land mines (ACBL), Alhaj Fazal Karim Fazal, while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.

Mr Fazal, who is also director of another demining agency_ Omar (Organisation for clearing Mines and Afghan Rehabilitation), said the Mine Action Program (Map) was currently receiving 25 million US dollars per year from the United Nations which he suggested should be enhanced to 30 million dollars.

In reply to a question, he said, Map received great set-back during the last two years due to the internal fighting in Afghanistan and added that the program was faced with 30 to 35 percent fund shortage.—APP