A widely circulated video showing children in the Ain Issa area, north of Raqqa, handling landmines and explosive remnants of war has once again highlighted the persistent threat facing civilians in northeastern Syria, amid the widespread presence of unexploded ordnance and the lack of a comprehensive response.
The footage shows a group of children directly handling unexploded objects believed to be landmines, in a dangerous scene that reflects limited awareness of the risks posed by these remnants of war, which continue to claim lives long after the fighting has ended.
Ongoing threat and humanitarian challenges
Landmines and explosive remnants of war remain among the most serious humanitarian challenges in the countryside of Raqqa and al-Hasakah, where they are heavily concentrated in villages and areas that once served as front lines, particularly between the zones of Operation Peace Spring and areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
According to testimonies from displaced people from northern rural Raqqa to Enab Baladi, entire villages remain abandoned to this day, surrounded by minefields, earthen berms, and trenches. This has prevented residents from returning to their homes or even approaching them, making mine clearance a basic condition for any safe return.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh commented on the incident, saying that “the safety of children is a collective responsibility,” stressing the need to strengthen awareness efforts and accelerate demining operations. He also noted that the process “requires years and cannot be completed in a short period.”
Daily risks in al-Hasakah and its surroundings
In al-Hasakah province, the danger of landmines is not limited to remote rural areas. It also extends to daily travel routes, especially as residents increasingly rely on dirt and side roads to avoid checkpoints or road closures.
These roads, which are supposed to provide safer alternatives, have become a source of grave danger because of the spread of landmines around the outskirts of cities and in their southern and eastern surroundings, leading to casualties in recent months.
Landmines have also obstructed the reopening of the eastern road to Ras al-Ain. Local sources said the heavy concentration of mines planted along earthen berms and military roads, particularly from al-Asadiya to Tal Tamr, has made movement nearly impossible, leaving residents isolated and at risk.
Testimonies from the countryside
From the southern countryside of al-Hasakah bordering the city, Abdullah Mahmoud said residents live in constant fear.
“Agricultural land is no longer as safe as it used to be, and some people have stopped working in it out of fear of landmines, especially after injuries were recorded in nearby villages,” he said.
He added that children, by nature, approach strange objects without understanding the danger, which increases the likelihood of tragic accidents.
In the area stretching between Tal Tamr and Ras al-Ain, Khaled al-Mohammad said the agricultural roads used by residents for daily travel “have become full of danger.”
“Landmines are spread randomly, and there are not enough warning signs, which makes every trip a risk,” he said.
He noted that the continuation of this situation is hindering residents’ return to their villages and affecting their livelihoods, especially given the heavy reliance on agriculture.
Limited response
In a related context, engineering teams affiliated with the Syrian army’s 60th Division were able in recent hours to dismantle an explosive device in the village of Qana, south of al-Hasakah, after children found it and informed their parents, who in turn contacted the relevant authorities.
The incident highlights the importance of awareness, as the children’s and families’ reporting helped prevent a potential disaster, at a time when such responses remain limited compared with the scale of landmine contamination.
Truffle season worsens the danger
Landmine incidents are not limited to al-Hasakah and Raqqa. Syria’s Deir Ezzor desert has also seen a rise in casualties, especially with the start of the truffle harvesting season, which pushes civilians into mine-contaminated areas.
Over recent days, five people were killed in separate incidents caused by landmine explosions, while the death toll since the beginning of the month has risen to 19, with expectations that the number will increase as the season continues.
Safety expert’s view
Community safety expert engineer Ahmad al-Salem said the problem lies not only in the spread of landmines, but also in “the absence of sustained and systematic awareness programs targeting children in particular.”
He explained that handling suspicious objects, even out of curiosity, can lead to catastrophic consequences, stressing the need to incorporate safety concepts into school curricula and community activities.
He added that the solution requires “integration between awareness efforts, the placement of clear warning signs, and faster survey and mine clearance operations,” warning that the continuation of the current situation will claim more lives, especially among children.
Concerning figures
According to data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Syria is among the countries most contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said the death toll from 2011 through the end of 2024 reached about 3,521, including 931 children.
Children account for about 30% of those killed and 40% of those injured, reflecting the scale of the threat facing this group, especially amid weak awareness and the continued presence of these remnants in their daily surroundings.
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