Syria is one of the most landmine-contaminated countries in the world. As conflicts in the Middle East intensify, tens of thousands of people have fled neighbouring Lebanon for Syria where they face yet more danger.
140,000 refugees have crossed the border since the start of Operation Epic Fury, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
They join millions of internally displaced Syrian families who are already on the move or returning home after the end of the war. Most have no idea about the explosives that still lie hidden in the rubble, crop fields, homes and schools, or strewn along roadsides.
"We face a huge challenge with both landmine clearance (including IEDs) and unexploded ordnance. The scale is enormous. People are being killed and injured every day", warned Andrew Moore, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at The HALO Trust.
"There are minefields across the country, particularly along the former frontlines in the northwest. Recently, and a father and daughter were killed collecting firewood. Around one village near the town of Saraqib alone, I counted seven or eight exploded tractors where farmers had tried to cultivate their land."
There have been at least 1,900 casualties and 700 deaths, including around 200 children, reported since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, although the real accident figures are likely to be much higher.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the risk of explosive remnants of war, making up 40% of injuries and more than 30% of fatalities. Many accidents occur when children forage for scrap metal to sell in local markets or help their families to herd animals or plant crops.
More than 8,000 schools are also severely damaged or destroyed, with many more located in hazardous areas, making it impossible for children to even walk to school safely or attend classes.
Moore recently urged the UK Government to urgently grant more multi-year funding support for humanitarian mine action, highlighting Britain's leadership through the Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP).
"There's just not enough money at the moment, and the funding that we have received has not necessarily allowed us to act strategically. Most is short-term so we can't really plan. It would be ideal if we had multi-year funding so that we could talk to donors jointly about where the priorities and needs lie", he said.
Moore also stressed the need to strengthen the Syrian National Mine Action Centre, which currently has just seven staff members to coordinate the entire national response. He said that more sustained international financing is critical to expand its capacity and boost Syria's long-term recovery.
