The White Helmets have confirmed that millions of civilians in Syria are living in areas infested with mines and unexploded ordnance due to years of bombardment by the regime and Russia, which is still ongoing. The danger from battles and shelling is not limited to the immediate impact resulting from the killing and wounding of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure. Rather, it extends and persists for a long time, as any unexploded projectile, missile, or mine could be a time bomb that might explode at any moment and cause a disaster if not handled before it’s too late.
In a report, they emphasized that these remnants of war, including mines and unexploded ordnance, pose a significant threat to the lives of the population, as well as long-term and deadly effects that directly affect the stability of civilians, education, agriculture, and the lives of future generations, particularly children. Children are particularly vulnerable due to their ignorance of the nature of these munitions, their forms, and the danger to their lives. Our teams are dealing with this reality by removing the remnants of war and educating civilians about their danger. Since the UXO teams’ work began, they have removed more than 24,000 munitions, including around 22,000 cluster bombs.
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Some types of remnants of war are on the surface of the earth, while other types of them, such as aircraft bombs, are buried several meters below the surface of the earth, making their removal difficult.
Places of deployment of remnants of war
The military arsenal used in the bombings on civilians is extensive, and as a result, the remnants of war have spread across cities, villages, residential neighbourhoods, and agricultural lands. The danger posed by these remnants of war is not limited to the victims they claim, as they also prevent farmers from accessing their lands, endanger their lives, and hinder industrialists from working in affected workshops. Moreover, these remnants are a significant obstacle to the return of residents to their homes, particularly in heavily bombed areas, according to the organization’s report.
The remnants of war are also widespread throughout northwestern Syria, particularly in the al-Ghab Plain near the city of Jisr al-Shughour, the eastern areas of Idleb city (Sarmin, Binnish, and Taftanaz), and southern Idleb in Jabal al-Zawiya, as well as the western countryside of Aleppo and the al-Bab and Afrin area in the countryside of Aleppo.
In 2020 alone, the White Helmets teams responded to over 60 incidents of remnants of war explosions in northwestern Syria, which resulted in the deaths of 32 people, including six children and four women, and injured 65 others, including seven children and 13 women.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
