Land mine clearing effort pays off

A brigade that cleared unexploded mines from more than 6 hectares of land in Yunnan province handed the area over to the local government on Monday, China National Radio reported.

The commander of the Yunnan mine clearance brigade's fourth unit, which was in charge of the mission, said it had found and defused about 8,200 mines and explosives, as well as 7 metric tons of metal fragments in a five-month operation.

The edge of the minefield, near the port of Tianbao, in Malipo county, which borders northern Vietnam, was less than 100 meters from the residences.