Syria faces painstaking task of clearing wartime landmines | DW News

Key Concepts

• Unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines as remnants of war in Syria
• Mine clearance operations and associated risks
• Impact of explosive contamination on Syrian civilians
• The Halo Trust's mine clearance efforts and awareness programs
• The dangers of unofficial mine clearance and lack of awareness
• The psychological and physical impact on landmine victims
• Anti-personnel and anti-tank mines

The Scale of the Problem

• Main Topic: The widespread contamination of Syrian land with unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines following the Syrian civil war.
• Key Points:
  • The most pressing challenge in post-Assad Syria is the presence of UXO and landmines.
  • These explosives pose a daily threat to the lives of returning residents.
  • Nearly a third of Syria's population is affected by explosive contamination.
  • Even small areas, like a half-square-kilometer field in Sarak, can take over a year to clear with current resources.
  • The area between regime-controlled and disputed territories is heavily mined.
• Data: The UN map shows the extent of explosive contamination across Syria.
• Quote: "There's a daily explosion." (Implied, referring to the frequency of incidents)

Mine Clearance Operations

• Main Topic: The process and challenges of mine clearance operations conducted by organizations like The Halo Trust.
• Key Points:
  • Mine clearance teams risk their lives to ensure the safe return of residents.
  • Safety guidelines are crucial, with red zones indicating danger and white zones indicating safety.
  • Medical points are established for immediate first aid in case of accidents.
  • The clearance process involves removing soil, inspecting for hazards, returning the soil, and repeating the process in new areas.
  • Cleared land is eventually returned to its owners.
  • The Halo Trust aims to expand its operations but faces resource constraints.
  • The Halo Trust team in northern Syria has only two equipped vehicles and around 40 specialists.
  • The Halo Trust needs up to $40 million annually for its operations.
• Step-by-Step Process:
  1. Remove soil from suspected zones.
  2. Inspect for hazards.
  3. Ensure the area is free of explosives.
  4. Return the soil.
  5. Repeat the process in a new area.
• Quote: "We will enter this area which we fully cleaned after removing the soil from the suspected zones, inspect it and ensure it's free of hazards. We then return the soil to its place and begin working on a new suspected area to search it and make it safe." (Mine Clearance Team Member)

The Human Cost

• Main Topic: The devastating impact of landmines on Syrian civilians, including injuries, deaths, and psychological trauma.
• Key Points:
  • Desperate people are hiring untrained individuals for mine clearance, leading to injuries and fatalities.
  • Many people claiming to be experts have suffered amputations or death.
  • The lack of awareness and risk-taking behavior contribute to accidents.
  • The story of Zakaria, a mine clearance worker who lost his leg to a cluster bomb, highlights the dangers and resilience of those involved in mine clearance.
  • Zakaria's motivation is to provide expertise and show that life continues after amputation.
  • A shepherd grazing his sheep in a dangerous area despite knowing the risks illustrates the desperation and lack of alternatives.
• Example: The explosion of an anti-tank mine in a passing car during the interview.
• Quote: "I accidentally stepped on a cluster bomb and it exploded." (Zakaria, landmine victim)
• Quote: "I leave it to God." (Shepherd, when asked about the danger of grazing in a mined area)

Awareness and Prevention

• Main Topic: The importance of awareness programs and the efforts of organizations like The Halo Trust to educate civilians about the dangers of landmines.
• Key Points:
  • The Halo Trust conducts awareness campaigns to educate children and adults about landmine safety.
  • Unofficial reports document over 3,500 civilian deaths over 13 years of the Syrian civil war.
  • The Halo Trust has documented over 400 incidents, including fatalities, since the fall of the regime last year.
  • The presence of visible mines in dangerous zones, even with warning signs, highlights the ongoing risk.
• Data: The Halo Trust documented over 400 incidents since the fall of the regime last year.

Technical Aspects and Terminology

• Main Topic: Specific types of landmines and their effects.
• Key Points:
  • Anti-personnel mines can cause amputation or death.
  • Anti-tank mines are designed to destroy vehicles.
  • Cluster bombs are dispersed explosives that can remain unexploded for years.
  • Directional anti-personnel mines contain shrapnel and can cause instant death.
• Technical Terms:
  • UXO (Unexploded Ordnance): Explosive weapons that failed to detonate as intended.
  • Anti-personnel mine: A mine designed to injure or kill people.
  • Anti-tank mine: A mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles.
  • Cluster bomb: A bomb that releases smaller submunitions over a wide area.

Conclusion

The video highlights the severe and ongoing threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Syria. The contamination affects a large portion of the population, hindering the return of displaced people and causing numerous casualties. Mine clearance operations are slow, costly, and dangerous, requiring significant resources and expertise. Awareness programs are crucial to prevent accidents, but the desperation and lack of alternatives often lead people to take risks. The work of organizations like The Halo Trust is essential in clearing landmines and educating communities, but the scale of the problem demands increased international support and resources. The personal stories of victims like Zakaria underscore the devastating human cost of this ongoing crisis and the resilience of those working to make Syria safe again.