• Contamination ‘affects every aspect of civilian life,’ from agriculture to roads, water and electricity networks, hospitals, schools, residential neighborhoods and commercial areas, says Joseph McCartan of UN Mine Action Service Syria
• UNMAS says 849 accidents with explosives killed 581 people and injured 987 from December 2024 to November 2025
• ‘Restrictions still hinder the timely import of essential mine action equipment. Easing and harmonizing exemptions among member states is critical,’ says McCartan

ISTANBUL

As tens of thousands of Syrians return home following the fall of Bashar al-Assad one year ago, many are coming back not only to destroyed neighborhoods and collapsed services, but to one of the most heavily contaminated landscapes of unexploded ordnance in the world.

“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 mine action program of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Syria, told Anadolu.

Syria now ranks among the world’s most contaminated countries, as mine experts estimate more than 1 million munitions have been used there since 2011, with a failure rate of 10-30%.

Those that did not explode now lie beneath soil, rubble and farmland, 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 the Landmine Monitor 2024, 933 people were killed or injured in explosive incidents last year – second only to Myanmar.

Preliminary figures indicate an even steeper rise in serious accidents this year, with large-scale returns of refugees and internally displaced people after December 2024 exposing more people to explosive hazards.

Between Dec. 8, 2024 and Nov. 21, 2025, UNMAS recorded 849 explosive ordnance accidents, resulting in 1,568 casualties – 581 deaths and 987 injuries, McCartan said.

The victims include 380 men, 38 women and 163 children killed, and 526 men, 30 women and 412 children injured.

The rise in casualties reflects increased population movement back into contaminated areas, McCartan noted, adding that the real toll is likely far higher due to chronic underreporting.

“People are returning to destroyed homes where explosive ordnance lies hidden under the rubble, putting whole families at risk,” he said.

Vulnerable groups and areas at risk

McCartan said the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo and Idlib remain the most dangerous areas in Syria, reflecting years of intense fighting and repeated displacement.

Deir ez-Zor recorded 180 incidents that killed 131 people and injured 197. In Aleppo, 96 people were killed and 164 injured in 139 incidents, while Idlib saw 83 deaths and 150 injuries in 126 incidents.

“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.

Contamination, he warned, can trigger “secondary displacement,” with communities forced to flee again when they cannot safely cultivate land, rebuild homes or access basic services.

“This is why we need to prioritize survey, clearance and risk education activities,” he said. “Strengthened mine-action efforts in these areas will reduce casualties, facilitate safer returns, enhance community stability and help mitigate pressures that could lead to further population movements.”

Farmers and those cultivating land and grazing animals are among the most vulnerable, often working fields where contamination levels are unknown. McCartan highlighted that the majority of accidents since the beginning of 2025 occurred in farmland or grazing areas.

Children remain at particularly high risk, especially in urban and semi-urban areas where families collect scrap metal to earn income.

“Children are directly and highly impacted as casualties in accidents related to scrap metal,” McCartan said, linking the practice to “poor economic conditions.”

Families returning to damaged homes face another layer of danger, as explosives may lie hidden under rubble, beneath collapsed structures or inside abandoned buildings.

Syria’s contamination, the UNMAS official added, includes both conventional and improvised weapons.

“These include cluster munitions and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and mine action teams are also finding anti-personnel minefields,” McCartan explained.

The presence of such a wide array of hazards “seriously impedes access to vital services and livelihood opportunities and prevents safe delivery of humanitarian and early recovery efforts,” he added.

Challenges in demining

McCartan said the scale and complexity of contamination, population density, continued pockets of conflict, and limited resources make Syria one of the most challenging environments 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,” he added.

With no comprehensive survey to fully assess the extent of contamination, planning clearance operations remains difficult.

UNMAS is working with partners to build a clearer contamination map, but obstacles remain – including limited funding and equipment delays tied to sanctions.

“Restrictions still hinder the timely import of essential mine action equipment. Easing and harmonizing exemptions among member states is critical,” McCartan said.

He also warned that annual short-term funding prevents the kind of long-term planning required for mine action.

Identifying contaminated areas remains a major challenge, said McCartan, adding that while some groups left minefield maps behind, a comprehensive digital database is still incomplete.

Despite persisting security concerns and challenges, he said that “mine action teams are very well received in communities and are operating freely.”