4 hrs ago
UN warns Syria's explosive ordnance contamination kills civilians
Dangerous explosives are still hidden in many parts of Syria.
These explosives can hurt people where they live, travel, work, and farm.
In one recent incident, a landmine struck a vehicle and killed five children.
Other explosions also killed and injured people.
Over the past week, nine people died and 13 were hurt in about a dozen incidents.
Since December 8, 2024, more than 1,400 such incidents have been recorded.
Many happened on farmland and grazing areas.
The United Nations says clearing the explosives and teaching people about the risks can help keep civilians safe.
OCHA recorded about a dozen explosive ordnance incidents across six Syrian governorates over the past week.
The incidents killed nine people, including six children, and injured 13 others.
A landmine strike on a civilian vehicle in Deir ez-Zor killed five children and injured three people.
Since December 8, 2024, more than 1,400 incidents have caused nearly 2,500 civilian casualties, including 880 deaths.
More than two-thirds of the incidents occurred on agricultural or grazing land, prompting calls for clearance and risk education.
- Who
- Syrian civilians, including children, farmers, herders and people traveling between villages, have been affected; the warning came from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
- What
- Explosive ordnance contamination and recent incidents in Syria killed nine people, injured 13, and have caused nearly 2,500 civilian casualties since December 8, 2024.
- Where
- Incidents occurred across six Syrian governorates, including Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Idlib; more than two-thirds occurred on agricultural and grazing land.
- When
- About a dozen incidents were recorded over the past week; the broader total covers incidents documented since December 8, 2024.
- Why
- Explosive remnants of war continue to endanger civilians and restrict movement, work and farming, leading humanitarian groups to call for clearance, risk education and assistance.
Key facts
- Recent incidents
- About a dozen explosive ordnance incidents were recorded across six Syrian governorates over the past week.
- Recent casualties
- Nine people were killed, including six children, and 13 were injured.
- Deir ez-Zor strike
- A landmine hit a civilian vehicle, killing five children and injuring three civilians.
- Cumulative incidents
- More than 1,400 incidents have been documented across Syria since December 8, 2024.
- Cumulative casualties
- The incidents caused nearly 2,500 civilian casualties, including 880 deaths.
- Highest-risk areas
- More than two-thirds of incidents occurred on agricultural and grazing land.
- Recommended response
- Mine-action partners emphasize risk education, clearance operations and assistance for affected people.
Quotes
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
United Nations humanitarian coordination office reporting on explosive ordnance incidents in Syria
“Over the past week, a dozen explosive ordnance incidents were recorded across six Syrian governorates, killing nine people -- six of them children -- and injuring 13 others.”
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Sources
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