The village of Kalta, just east of Raqqa, was recently retaken from the Islamic State by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In June, the local Roj Mine Control Organization (RMCO) came to clear the area before the villagers returned.
The whole area — including homes, a power facility and a school — was mined, RMCO's deputy CEO Roni Teran told Al-Monitor. The villagers asked the four-member team to clear the school first. They were hoping to have the building ready for the start of the semester.
