After 13 years of conflict and the change of regime in Syria last November, the country is enjoying relative calm. Many of the people who had fled the violence and bombardments have decided to return home. They are exposed to the danger of explosive devices that heavily contaminate the territory. Two HI teams offer risk education sessions near the Bab Al Hawa and Al Salameh border crossings between Turkey and Syria.
What are the main threats?
"The threat of unexploded ordnances in Syria is huge: Unstable explosive ordnance may detonate upon first touch; people may cross contaminated areas along their journey; they may enter destroyed houses or gardens filled with dangerous devices. Children are particularly exposed as they like to play with unfamiliar objects. The main messages we provide to returnees emphasize the severe danger of explosive items incidents (death, permanent disability, psychological trauma), recognizing dangerous areas and objects, having the proper behaviour when encountering suspicious items and reporting procedures for discovered explosive ordnance,” explains Vincent Dalonneau, Northwest Syria HI Manager.
Approach people who are coming back to Syria
Each HI team consists of four members - two males and two females - for a total of eight HI staff involved in these sessions. They approach people as they cross the border on foot, taking or descending the bus, delivering sessions to individuals or small groups depending on people's availability.
People are interested to get informed
So far, 1,500 safety booklets and flyers have been distributed. The teams directly reach between 30 to 50 people per day, operating from 10 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon. These sessions began in the last week of December 2024. HI plans to extend their reach through a mass media campaign and by expanding direct awareness session to 14 new communities.
This kind of activities is essential in Syria as more and more people are coming back: between December 9 and 13, the number of daily returns reached over 7,600 1. In 2024, it was reported that six million Syrians had left the country, and 7.2 million remained displaced within its borders.
Contamination in Syria
Explosive ordnance (EO) contamination continues to pose a serious threat. Since November 26, organisations active in land release in Syria have identified 120 landmine fields and hazardous areas in in Northwest Syria. They have also carried out 516 clearance operations, removing 914 explosive devices.
To face this threat, HI and its collaborating organizations have delivered 20,800 risk education sessions, reaching 145,000 people in 2024.
1. UNHCR Flash update on the situation in Syria as on December 16, 2024
