The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has confirmed that 390 civilians, including more than 100 children, have been killed in Syria since the beginning of 2025 due to explosive remnants of war.
In a statement released on Tuesday, OCHA said that contamination from unexploded ordnance “continues to have deadly consequences across Syria.” Between January 1 and June 30, over 390 people were killed and more than 500 others injured by explosive devices left behind during the country’s years-long conflict.
Surge in Cross-Border Aid
OCHA also noted a significant increase in cross-border humanitarian aid entering Syria through Turkey in 2025. In the first six months of the year, 1,400 aid trucks crossed the border—a fivefold increase compared to the same period last year.
Adam Abdelmoula, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, recently concluded a three-day joint mission with UN agencies to the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. According to the UN News Centre, the mission aimed to assess urgent humanitarian needs in the region.
During the visit, the UN delegation met with local authorities, displaced families, and returnees. They also visited a health centre in Maarat al-Numan, in Idlib’s countryside, which was rehabilitated by the World Health Organization and its partners and now serves over 100,000 people.
The UN team toured several locations in northwest Syria, including Maarat al-Numan, Kafr Nabl, Jabal al-Zawiya (Idlib countryside), and Afrin in northern Aleppo. The delegation reviewed the extent of the destruction and humanitarian challenges on the ground and stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between local authorities and international partners, according to statements from the Idlib and Aleppo governorates.
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.
