SISAK, Croatia: Davorin Cetin was cleaning a yard in a Croatian village when a land mine exploded meters away, leaving him badly injured and killing a close friend instantly.
It took him two decades and more than a dozen operations before he felt safe stepping on grass again, haunted by what might lie beneath.
Croatia finally declared it was mine-free earlier this year, lifting a threat that had lingered for its people since its four-year war of independence began in 1991.
“That danger is gone. We can walk freely in our country,” said Cetin, who was left severely disabled by the explosion.
But the toll was terrible. Over 200 people were killed by land mines and around 400 more injured.
