The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the deaths of at least 3,521 civilians, including 931 children and 362 women, due to landmine explosions from 2011 until the end of 2024.

The SNHR stated yesterday, Tuesday, December 31, that the injuries resulting from these incidents reached about 10,400 people, many of whom require prosthetic limbs, rehabilitation, and psychological support.

It added that all parties to the conflict in Syria since 2011 have planted landmines without announcing contaminated areas or securing them to protect the population.

The SNHR confirmed that landmines have caused the deaths of seven Civil Defence personnel, eight medical staff, and nine journalists, reflecting the danger these remnants pose to civilians and humanitarian workers.

The statement also documented the deaths of 45 civilians, including six children and four women, since the start of the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation on November 27 until today.

The SNHR warned of the widespread proliferation of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Syria, considering it a direct threat to civilians and displaced individuals returning to their areas.

These landmines cause serious injuries to civilians, including amputations and ruptured arteries, in addition to long-lasting effects on hearing and vision.

They also hinder the movement of relief and Civil Defence teams, as well as negatively impacting reconstruction efforts and economic development in the country.

The SNHR accused the previous Syrian regime of extensively using landmines since 2011, especially along the borders with Lebanon and Turkey, without providing warnings to the population.

It also recorded the use of cluster munitions by the regime and Russian forces, while other parties used landmines in various areas.

It called for urgent efforts to remove landmines and protect civilians from their ongoing threat for decades.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), unexploded ordnance and war remnants continue to pose deadly consequences for civilians, as expressed by refugees and internally displaced persons.

The Syria Civil Defence reported that four separate explosions from landmines leftover by the previous regime’s army on December 24 led to the deaths of three people and injuries to three others, some of which were serious.

The Civil Defence pointed out a “significant” increase in explosions of war remnants following developments on the ground, the collapse of the Assad regime, and the fading of front lines where landmines and unexploded ordnance are scattered.

These remnants threaten the lives of Syrians and deepen their suffering in the search for safety, returning to their homes, and working in their fields across vast areas of Syria, according to the Civil Defence.

The Civil Defence documented the deaths of 20 civilians, including eight children and one woman, and injuries to 22 civilians, including 12 children, from the explosion of war remnants between November 27 and December 21.

Syria recorded the second highest number of deaths and injuries due to landmines and war remnants from explosives in 2023, with 933 victims, followed by Ukraine and Afghanistan, each recording 500 victims, according to the report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) issued on November 20.

Syria recorded the highest number of landmine casualties globally for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022).