Syria

MAG has been operating in Syria since 2016 to make land safe for populations affected by years of conflict.

Landmines, cluster munitions, other unexploded bombs and improvised explosive devices have left a deadly legacy that kills and injures people, prevents communities from using their land and hampers displaced populations from returning home safely.

Syria is one of the world’s most conflict-affected countries and has witnessed extensive hostilities since the outbreak of civil war in 2011. Large parts of the country, including cities, have been devastated by explosive weapons.

The conflict has a daily impact on the vast majority of the population, with poor and marginalised communities worst affected. It has directly caused the displacement of an estimated 6.2 million Syrians and the almost total breakdown of the economy, with roughly 70% living beneath the poverty line.

On average, 25 people are killed or injured each week by explosive hazards, with approximately three survivors suffering at least one limb amputation. About half of all Syrians live with the risk of explosive hazards and about 25% of victims are children between the ages of 11 and 17. 

The situation has led to significant numbers of accidents among returning populations and continues to prevent many others from returning to their homes, placing a strain on resources in other areas of the country. In 2020 the Landmine Monitor reported that there were more explosive accidents in Syria than in any other country in the world.

MAG teams clear mined areas using manual methods and mechanical assets, enabling communities to use their land in safety, giving them greater food security and helping to alleviate poverty.

Land cleared by MAG in North-East Syria enables the safe return of displaced people and has enabled the restoration of essential infrastructure, such as water supplies and roads, and has made schools, homes and agricultural land safe. 

MAG is also at the forefront of efforts to keep affected communities safe by delivering life-saving risk education which helps people identify and avoid dangerous situations. 

In populated areas, our teams are working through the rubble of damaged or destroyed houses, removing explosive remnants of war and making it safe for the process of rebuilding to begin.