Acharity in Bosnia has warned gamers playing Pokemon Go to stay away from areas of the country riven with large numbers of unexploded landmines.
The mines were planted during the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995. 600 people have been killed by the devices since the end of the conflict, and an estimated 120,000 mines remain buried beneath the former front lines.
Pokemon Go, the wildly successful augmented reality game, challenges users to find and catch Pokémon characters in their real world surroundings.
The charity Posavina bez mina published a statement on Facebook saying: “Today we received information that some users of the Pokémon Go app in Bosnia were going to places which are a risk for (unexploded) mines, in search of a Pokemon.”
“Citizens are urged no to do so, to respect demarcation signs of dangerous mine fields and not to go into unknown areas.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns Britons travelling to Bosnia that, although highly populated areas of the country are clear of mines, special care should be taken close to former lines of conflict.
“Don’t stray from roads and paved areas without an experienced guide,” the official guidance states. “Unless you have an experienced guide, you should avoid the open countryside and especially destroyed or abandoned buildings, neglected land, un-tarred roads, woods and orchards, private property and abandoned villages. Abandoned buildings, even in towns and cities may be booby trapped with mines.”
