Mine Awareness Day: Explosive Ordnance Remains One of the Deadliest Legacies of War

On Mine Awareness Day, we speak with Jakub Walenda, our Head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) in Syria. He has worked in displacement contexts across multiple regions, including Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, focusing on strengthening the links between stabilization, peace and security, and development and recovery.

He previously served as HDP Programme Manager in Ukraine, where he led integrated mine action programming in response to large-scale contamination and displacement.

In Syria, Jakub’s programme trains local staff to become community liaison officers (EORE, NTS) as well as deminers who can be deployed across the country to clear the remnants of explosive ordnance, enabling people to return home safely and rebuild their lives.

Most conflicts these days see the use of heavy explosive weapons, including in densely populated areas. While we see on the news the immediate effect they have, not many know what happens in the medium and long term. Could you tell us what that is? Maybe with the example of Syria, a country you work with? 

What we often see in the news is the immediate destruction: collapsed buildings, injured civilians, people fleeing. What we don’t see is that the danger doesn’t end when the fighting stops. Explosive ordnance (EO), such as unexploded bombs, rockets, cluster munition remnants, and landmines, can remain in the ground, in homes, or in fields for years, sometimes decades.

In Syria, this means that even after frontlines shift, and in many cases disappear, communities cannot safely return to their homes, children cannot play outside, and farmers cannot cultivate their land. Entire areas remain effectively unusable. Over time, this slows recovery, prolongs displacement, and keeps people dependent on humanitarian aid. It also creates a constant, invisible threat that shapes daily decisions—where people walk, work, or send their children to school.

Last week was particularly difficult in Syria: in just seven days, 18 EO related incidents were recorded across the country, resulting in a total of 69 casualties. Thirteen people were killed (seven men and six children), and 56 were injured (28 men, seven women, and 13 children). These incidents were spread across nine different governorates. About 62% of all EO-related incidents since the political shift in December 2024 occurred in agriculture and grazing land, making pursuing livelihoods through those activities one of the most dangerous in Syria.

What are the risks for people returning to these areas? 

For people returning, the risks are very real and often underestimated. Many assume that if a place looks calm, it is safe. But explosive ordnance (EO) is often hidden and unpredictable. People are injured or killed while carrying out everyday activities, entering their homes, farming their land, collecting firewood, or simply walking along familiar paths. In Syria, of the 1,099 EO incidents recorded since the fall of the regime, 689 occurred on agricultural or grazing land. Children are particularly at risk, as they may not recognize the danger and can be drawn to unfamiliar objects.

There is also a broader impact: fear and uncertainty limit people’s ability to rebuild their lives. Even when people return, they may not be able to fully use their land or access essential services, making recovery far more difficult. It is important to understand that when people return to their communities, they often return to exhausted areas affected by the crisis and damaged assets, making safe access to their land and resources key to rebuilding their lives and ensuring a sustainable return.

How long does it take to clear areas, and at what cost? 

Clearance is a careful and time consuming process, as it must be carried out safely, systematically, and in line with International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and National Mine Action Standards (NMAS). Even a small area can take days or weeks to clear, while villages, agricultural land, or urban neighbourhoods may take months or even years, depending on the level of contamination.

In a country like Syria, where contamination is widespread and information is limited, this process becomes even more complex. Through non‑technical survey (NTS), we must first identify where the risks are, as well as the scale, type, and socio‑economic impact of explosive ordnance (EO) contamination—often through community engagement—before we can begin removing threats.

It is also costly, not only in financial terms but in time and expertise. However, it is important to see this as an investment: EORE, NTS, and land clearance allow people to return safely, restart livelihoods, and reduce long-term humanitarian needs.

What do international agreements say about these weapons? 

There are several international agreements aimed at limiting the harm caused by these weapons. The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of landmines. The Convention on Cluster Munitions does the same for cluster weapons, which are particularly dangerous because they disperse many small explosive items over a wide area.

More broadly, international humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to take all possible precautions to protect civilians and to avoid using weapons in ways that cause indiscriminate harm, especially in populated areas.

These agreements reflect a global recognition that the long-term impact of such weapons on civilians is unacceptable. However, in many past and ongoing conflicts, especially, but not only, in the Middle East, we continue to see these norms disregarded. It is also concerning that some countries have stepped away from or withdrawn from key treaties—such as recent withdrawals from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in parts of Europe—which risks weakening these protections at a time when they are needed most. From my perspective, this is one of the most difficult aspects of this work: we know the rules and international obligations, we know the consequences, and yet communities continue to suffer the same patterns of harm.

Upholding these treaties and ensuring accountability for violations is both a legal requirement and a moral duty. It is crucial to prevent harm, support affected communities, and advance their security and stability.

Do you have a message you want to leave with us on Mine Awareness Day? 

One of the most important things to understand is that the impact of war doesn’t end when the fighting stops. For many communities, the danger lurks for years, silently shaping their lives and limiting their future.

Mine action, including survey, clearance, risk education, victim assistance, and capacity strengthening, is a key part of recovery in crisis-affected areas, removing threats and restoring safe access to land, infrastructure, and essential services. It plays a crucial role by enabling stakeholders to deliver assistance safely, empowering communities to rebuild their livelihoods, and supporting long-term investment in resilient infrastructure and sustainable development.

It allows children to return safely to school, farmers to reclaim their land, and communities to rebuild.

It is important to recognize that all stakeholders, including national and international actors, as well as local communities, have a critical role in supporting clearance efforts. By coordinating efforts, building local leadership and allocating resources, we can build a future grounded in safety, enabling communities to recover, invest, and thrive free from the threat of landmines and the fear of conflict.