Syria Prepares to Launch first interactive map of landmine contamination
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Raed al-Saleh, the Syrian Minister of Emergency Services and Disaster Management, announced that Syria will launch its first national interactive landmine map.
This initiative aims to identify contaminated areas and improve clearance operations throughout the country. The National Mine Action Center is currently carrying out a three-year strategic framework to increase national capabilities and remove explosive remnants of war.
The ministry plans to use the map to protect civilians, help farmers reclaim land, and support the rehabilitation of communities affected by conflict. To achieve these goals, the government is expanding cooperation with international partners. The ministry is currently collaborating with Germany and Ukraine, including recent and upcoming technical exchanges between Syrian and Ukrainian teams to build national expertise.
The need for these efforts follows recent incidents, such as a landmine explosion in the town of Halfaya in rural Hama that killed a four-year-old child. While the government works to map the area, the Cluster Munition Monitor reported that Syria had the highest number of casualties from cluster munition remnants worldwide in 2025. Current data on the total extent of contamination remains an approximation because the country has not yet conducted a comprehensive baseline survey.
