A 6,000 square-meter mine field located near the ruins of Karkam??, one of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, in the Gaziantep region will be cleaned up for archaeological excavations after permission was granted by the General Staff Gaziantep Special Provincial Administration.

Provincial Administration Secretary General Abdulkadir Demir said Japanese Prince Tomohito Mikasa, who is also an archaeologist, had applied in person to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism to unearth the ruins in Karkam??. He said works had started in the region after following his application, adding that the ruins, most part of which are in Syria, would be cleaned up.