Pokemon Go: Bosnia players asked to refrain from minefields and dangerous zones
Gamers playing the widely popular augmented reality mobile game, Pokemon Go in Bosnia have been warned to avoid straying into areas scattered with unexploded mines left over from the war in the 1990s.
“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,” a Bosnian demining charity, Posavina bez mina said on its Facebook page.
“Citizens are urged no to do so, to respect demarcation signs of dangerous mine fields and not to go into unknown areas,” it added.
Pokemon Go sees players use their smartphones to hunt for cartoon monsters in the real world.
Bosnia is one of the world’s most heavily mined countries. After the 1992-95 war, 600 lives have been lost and more than 1,700 people have been injured by landmines.
About 120,000 mines remain undiscovered, according to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre.
The Foreign Office has already issued travel advice for those in the country who may attempt to play the game. “Don’t stray from roads and paved areas without an experienced guide. 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,” they said.
As the popularity of Pokemon Go has soared, there have been numerous incidents and accidents caused by gamers pre-occupied by Pokemon Go. The game has already been blamed for a wave of crimes, traffic violations and complaints in cities around the globe.
Earlier this week, two teenagers in the US state of Florida were shot at by a householder who misidentified them as burglars. However, the game has had some surprising positive effects, such as in one UK town police said players reported a theft while hunting for monsters.
