Syrians return home to devastation, explosive hazards

(MENAFN) As tens of thousands of Syrians return to their homes following Bashar al-Assad’s fall one year ago, they are encountering not only destroyed infrastructure and collapsed services but also one of the world’s most heavily contaminated landscapes with unexploded ordnance (UXO).

“Explosive ordnance contamination in Syria is extensive and concentrated in areas that witnessed heavy fighting, including former front lines where civilian movement is now at its highest,” Joseph McCartan, chief of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Syria, told a news agency.

Experts estimate that over 1 million munitions have been used in Syria since 2011, with a 10-30% failure rate. Many of these unexploded devices now lie buried beneath rubble, farmland, and residential areas, posing grave risks.

“This level of contamination affects every aspect of civilian life, including agricultural land, roads, irrigation systems, water and electricity networks, hospitals, schools, bridges, riverbeds, residential neighborhoods and commercial areas,” McCartan said.

According to Landmine Monitor 2024, 933 people were killed or injured in explosive incidents last year, ranking Syria second globally after Myanmar. Early 2025 data shows a sharp increase, with 849 incidents recorded between Dec. 8, 2024, and Nov. 21, 2025, resulting in 1,568 casualties, including 581 deaths and 987 injuries. Victims included 380 men, 38 women, 163 children killed, and 526 men, 30 women, 412 children injured.

The provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo, and Idlib remain the most hazardous, reflecting years of intense fighting. “Aleppo and Idlib hold particular significance due to their location along the border with Türkiye, and their role in shaping cross-border population movements,” McCartan said.

Explosive contamination contributes to “secondary displacement,” with communities forced to flee again when they cannot safely rebuild, farm, or access basic services. McCartan emphasized the need to “prioritize survey, clearance and risk education activities,” noting that demining reduces casualties and facilitates safer returns.

Farmers, livestock herders, and children collecting scrap metal face heightened risks. Families returning to damaged homes also confront hidden dangers, as explosives may be buried under rubble or abandoned buildings. Syria’s contamination includes conventional munitions, cluster bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and anti-personnel minefields.

“These include cluster munitions and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and mine action teams are also finding anti-personnel minefields,” McCartan said, warning that such hazards “seriously impede access to vital services and livelihood opportunities and prevent safe delivery of humanitarian and early recovery efforts.”

The scale of contamination, combined with high population density, ongoing conflict, and limited resources, makes Syria a particularly challenging environment for mine action.

“Explosive hazards are found in homes, under rubble, in schools, hospitals, agricultural fields, and main roads, significantly increasing the risk to deminers and civilians alike. The amount of debris makes detecting unexploded ordnance much harder,” McCartan added.

Funding and equipment delays, partly due to sanctions, further hamper demining efforts.

McCartan called for easing restrictions on essential mine-action equipment and warned that short-term annual funding prevents long-term planning. Despite these obstacles, he said, “mine action teams are very well received in communities and are operating freely.”

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