Syria to launch 1st nationwide mine map under 3-year clearance strategy

Syria will soon launch its first map showing the distribution of mines across the country as part of a three-year strategy to combat landmines and war remnants, Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh said on Monday.

“The National Mine Action Center is implementing the strategy to identify mine-contaminated areas and strengthen efforts to address the threat,” al-Saleh said in comments carried by the ISNA news agency.

“Mines and unexploded remnants of war remain among the most serious challenges facing Syria because of their direct impact on civilians and children, as well as their obstruction of reconstruction efforts and the use of agricultural land,” he said.

Al-Saleh said his ministry continues to develop mine-clearance plans and strategies despite existing challenges, with the aim of achieving tangible results that protect civilians and allow residents to make use of their farmland.

“Syria is also working to exchange expertise and benefit from advanced demining technologies in cooperation with Germany and Ukraine,” he added.

Separately, the minister said the ministry is working to establish a joint operations room with Türkiye for emergency response and disaster management on both sides of the border.

The mechanism is intended to spee coordination and response to fires, floods and other disasters, he added.

Syrian authorities regularly report deaths and injuries caused by explosions from remnants of the war waged by the Bashar al-Assad regime against civilians from 2011 to 2024.

The war killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people and caused massive destruction to infrastructure before opposition fighters entered Damascus on Dec. 8, 2024, leading to the fall of the Assad regime.

Syrian authorities and international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, continue field operations in several parts of Syria to detect mines and unexploded ordnance left by the war.

According to Landmine Monitor data, unexploded ordnance in Syria has killed or injured more than 13,000 people since 2011.