The invisible threat

After nearly 14 years ofcivil war, large parts of Syria are affected by an invisible threat: landmines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance. The country is one of the world’s most contaminated states. It is estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 explosive remnants of war lie hidden from view there - in residential buildings, on fields or on roads. “The front lines kept shifting during the war, with the result that mines and other booby traps were spread over large areas. In the northwest of the country for example there’s a minefield that covers an area of around 200 kilometres,” explains Paul McCann, head of Programme Communications at The Halo Trust, a humanitarian organisation specialised in clearing landmines and other explosive remnants of war. According to the Halo Trust, over 500 people have been killed and more than 800 injured by mines and other explosive devices in Syria since the Assad regime was ousted in late 2024. The danger posed by mines not only makes it difficult for internally displaced persons to return home, but also blocks humanitarian aid, reconstruction and development. “According to the latest estimates, 15.4 million Syrians - two thirds of the population - are at risk from explosive remnants of war,” says Huberta von Roedern, head of Communications at Handicap International. 

Humanitarian mine clearance in Syria 

For years, Germany has been one of the leading international donors in the area of humanitarian mine clearance. Between 2022 and 2024, Germany was the second-largest bilateral donor after the US. In 2024 alone, the Federal Foreign Office made 70 million euros available to fund mine clearance projects worldwide. In Syria the ministry works closely together with the humanitarian organisations Handicap International and The Halo Trust.  

Cooperation with local project partners  

Handicap International works in northeast Syria. Mines are cleared, danger zones mapped and victims supported there - with medical and psychological care, rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes. “Such missions begin with our teams meeting with local residents and telling them about the dangers. We then focus primarily on schools, hospitals and water treatment plants and first get rid of any visible explosive devices there,” explains von Roedern. At the same time, Handicap International teams educate the local population about the dangers by distributing brochures and flyers and providing information on social media about unexploded ordnance.  

Besides clearing explosives, the organisation also supports landmine accident victims. “The teams from Handicap International provide casualties with physiotherapy, wheelchairs, walking aids and prosthetics. In addition, the most traumatised victims receive psychosocial support,” explains Rode. This help has meanwhile been extended to include family members. 

The Halo Trust has been active in the northwest and south of Syria since 2016. “Halo uses the latest surveying equipment and drones, and is planning to trial AI-supported machine leaning with a view to accelerating mine clearance processes across wide areas,” says Programme Communications Head McCann. Furthermore, the organisation uses mechanised devices such as front-end loaders - vehicles with a bucket at the front to transport material - to quickly clear large swathes of land. “Most of our 250 employees in Syria come from the communities in which they work,” explains McCann. They are familiar with the region and know the local population. This makes their work easier. Besides clearing mines and mapping, the organisation also educates people about the dangers. “Our people work their way from village to village along the former front lines. They educate people in schools, community centres, mosques and even out in the fields - where children tend their sheep and goats,” says McCann. In this way, The Halo Trust has already informed 700,000 people about the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Former front lines particularly contaminated 

The challenge remains considerable, however. Experts expect it to take many years for all the unexploded ordnance to be completely cleared. The former front lines, which run hundreds of kilometres across the country, are particularly contaminated. Along them, mined barriers of earth, trenches and fortifications were left behind after the fighting. Numerous unexploded devices, cluster bombs and missiles are still found in these areas - often in residential buildings, gardens or in fields.