Syria’s Unexploded War Remnants Kill or Injure Someone Every Six Hours
Syria continues to face a deadly legacy of war, with unexploded ordnance (UXO) causing an average of one death or injury every six hours, according to the HALO Trust.
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, at least 2,375 people have been killed or injured by mines and explosive remnants, including more than 850 children. The actual toll is believed to be significantly higher.
Families returning to their communities remain particularly vulnerable. In one case, a 17-year-old boy was killed and his two younger brothers injured when an explosive object they had collected for heating detonated inside their home.
HALO Trust estimates that Syria has suffered nearly 700 explosive-accident casualties this year, with around one-third of the victims being children and more than 60% of incidents occurring on farmland or grazing areas.
Mine-clearance teams are working across heavily contaminated areas, but destroyed buildings, rubble, missing minefield maps and shortages of equipment and trained personnel are slowing progress.
Experts warn that even if clearance operations were doubled, removing the threat could still take 20 to 30 years, making unexploded ordnance a major obstacle to Syria’s recovery and reconstruction.
