On January 6, 2025, the Syrian Civil Defense reported that 32 people had been killed in Syria due to landmines and remnants of war. The Civil Defense explained that these remnants represent a “deferred death for Syrians, planted by the Assad regime in various regions of Syria, posing a long-term danger to life and undermining livelihoods.” Landmines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance scattered across the Syrian provinces represent one of the invisible challenges facing the security and stability of Syria, as well as reconstruction efforts in the country following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Many trends indicate that the landmines planted by the former Syrian regime have caused significant human and material losses, given their widespread deployment and variety, including both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines, along with unexploded munitions resulting from clashes that took place in cities, on roads, and in villages. This complexity makes their removal challenging, requiring substantial and coordinated efforts.
Existing Challenges
A range of challenges may hinder landmine removal efforts in Syria, prominently including the following:
Lack of Accurate Landmine Maps: One significant challenge in the landmine removal efforts in Syria is the absence of a complete and accurate database of their locations. In some cases, mines were planted randomly or at depths ranging from 5 to 17 centimeters underground, complicating their detection and removal. The issue is particularly severe in some areas of northern Syria, given the ongoing conflict between Kurdish People’s Protection Units and Turkey-affiliated factions, with both sides continuously importing or manufacturing mines at the fighting fronts and entrances to potential battle sites, imposing an additional burden on removal efforts.
High Density of Mines Across Syrian Geography: Numerous estimates indicate vast quantities of landmines are spread throughout Syria, especially low-cost mines. The Assad army has mined extensive areas of the country, notably in regions such as Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hasakah, in addition to Damascus and Latakia. In this context, the British organization “Halo Trust” revealed in December 2024 that these mines are present in fields, villages, and cities. There is an urgent need for international efforts to clear millions of unexploded munitions to protect the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have returned to their homes after Assad’s fall. The UN reported in December 2024 that UN partners identified over 50 minefields within the first ten days of that month. It is noteworthy that landmines in Syria resulted in 933 deaths by the end of 2023, positioning Syria second after Burma, which reported 1,003 casualties, according to the Landmine Monitor.
Complications of Political Transition After Assad’s Fall: Despite a welcoming atmosphere among a broad sector of Syrians concerning Assad’s fall and agreement among armed Syrian factions to integrate into the new Syrian Ministry of Defense, several armed Syrian forces remain skeptical or apprehensive about the new transitional administration. This skepticism leads them to retain the planted mines within their territorial influence. For instance, the Eighth Brigade led by “Ahmed Al-Awda” in Daraa refused to hand over its weapons to the administration led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and the governorate of Suwayda refused to relinquish its weapons or allow the elements of the new transitional administration entry.
The Financial Dilemma in Mine Clearance: Financial constraints remain one of the primary obstacles likely to confront the new transitional administration in Syria regarding landmine removal, especially given the dire economic situation compounded by ongoing international sanctions. Regional and international economic powers are still exploring the direction of the new Syrian administration, leading to a cautious approach regarding financial investments in the Syrian economy, thus impacting the administration’s capability to allocate financial resources for local organizations responsible for mine clearance.
The Necessity for Extended Timeframes for Mine Removal: Time is a critical factor in any efforts related to mine removal in Syria and clearing its land. This process, once initiated, may take a long time, primarily due to the ease of manufacturing mines and their low cost, which has led local conflict parties to employ them as military tools without concern for announcing their locations or clearing their remnants.
Negative Backlashes
Numerous estimates suggest that the spread of landmines in Syrian geography has negative repercussions on the reconstruction process in the country, as outlined below:
Disruption of Economic Development: The spread of landmines hinders any projects aimed at developing local Syrian communities, particularly as many donors are reluctant to invest in areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance and landmines. Consequently, reconstruction efforts are likely to stall or, at the very least, delay development initiatives across large areas of Syrian territory due to mine presence, especially in the agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the Syrian economy, as most minefields are located in agricultural regions.
Challenges in Developing Border Areas: Local estimates indicate that the reconstruction of Syrian border areas will be difficult in the coming phase, considering that the former Syrian regime has laid mines along the borders since late 2011. This includes regions adjacent to Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, and Iraq, often without adequate warnings, as evidenced by the number of civilian casualties due to mines in these border areas.
Negative Impact on Local Community Stability: Landmines severely hinder civilians’ return to their communities, as many express anxiety and fear over the spread of mines, prompting them to relocate to safer areas. This situation exacerbates internal displacement, potentially placing significant pressure on economic development processes and infrastructure.
Impairment of Reconstruction Projects in Syria: The widespread presence of landmines in Syrian territories is likely to deter major economies from committing investments in reconstruction projects, as unexploded munitions represent a substantial threat to rebuilding and development efforts. Visits by foreign and Arab delegations have resulted in no clear commitment to reconstruction promises, alongside a noticeable absence of regional and international competition for reconstruction contracts. Concurrently, the high density of landmines may also affect the ability of economic partnerships, be they companies or individuals, to reconsider participation in reconstruction efforts.
In conclusion, there are significant negative ramifications stemming from landmines and unexploded ordnance in Syrian geography concerning potential reconstruction efforts. Given this situation, the issue of mine clearance now demands not only substantial financial resources but also unconventional approaches for detecting and removing mines, such as the use of drones, especially considering the challenges that impede access to and dismantling of mines, the difficulty in identifying areas filled with mines and remnants of local conflicts, and the ongoing violence in some regions of northern Syria. This situation raises concerns among relevant companies and organizations regarding their involvement in reconstruction efforts in Syria.
