Country: Syrian Arab Republic Source: HALO Trust 18 March 2026, London: On the 15th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution marking the beginning of nationwide protests against former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2011, more than 15 million Syrians still face the daily threat of landmines and deadly unexploded ordnance, with at least 1,900 casualties and around 700 deaths reported since December 2024. The devastating humanitarian impact of explosive contamination across Syria, including missiles, bombs, rockets and artillery, was highlighted in compelling evidence delivered during a session of the International Development Committee (IDC) by Andrew Moore, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at The HALO Trust. “We face a huge challenge with both landmine clearance, including IEDs, and unexploded ordnance. The scale is enormous. People are being killed and injured every day,” he warned MPs. “There are minefields across the country, particularly along the former frontlines in the northwest of the country where there is huge contamination. Just around one village near the town of Saraqib I counted seven or eight exploded tractors where farmers had tried to cultivate their land. Unexploded ordnance exists right across the country as well, from hand grenades and artillery rounds to mortars and bombs that haven’t exploded as intended, and they're particularly devastating in towns, villages, and cities. “In the northwest alone, we need to survey more than 400 square kilometres which is a huge task in itself - we are now using drones and are looking to use artificial intelligence to help refine the survey before we actually put boots on the ground.” The number of people on the move has intensified since the end of the 12-year civil war, with most unaware of the dangers that lie silently in wait in crop fields, hidden in houses or strewn along roadsides. An estimated 1.5 million have already returned to the heavily contaminated governates of Damascus,