World Refugee Day: Explosive Ordnance Continues to Threaten Syrians Returning Home

As World Refugee Day approaches on June 20, 2026, HI warns of the ongoing danger posed by explosive ordnance to Syrians hoping to return home after years in exile. Anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, improvised explosive devices … Despite the change in government at the end of 2024, these silent threats remain and continue to weigh heavily on the daily realities of civilians seeking to rebuild their lives. There is an urgent need to work towards creating the most favorable conditions for return.

Areas that Have Become Veritable Traps for Civilians

After years of intense fighting and repeated bombardments, Syria is one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world with explosive ordnance. In the areas where displaced people are planning to return, neither homes nor farmland, roads, nor essential infrastructure are safe.

The figures are staggering: More than 14 million Syrians live under the constant threat of these weapons. In 2025, the number of casualties tripled compared to previous years, revealing a worsening humanitarian crisis, and data from the field confirms this alarming reality:

• Assessments reveal that in over 30% of the communities studied, explosive ordnance contamination has been identified within a 10-kilometer radius. In 80% of these areas, incidents involving civilians – often children – have been reported.
• Between December 2024 and May 2026, 1,261 incidents involving unexploded ordnance were recorded, resulting in nearly 2,300 casualties, including 808 deaths and 1,477 injuries.

Returning home after years of displacement exposes Syrian refugees to a constant daily risk of death or life-altering injury. When they do manage to return, they often know nothing of the exact layout of contaminated areas – they risk their lives by reoccupying homes, land, or infrastructure abandoned since the conflict began.

The simple act of trying to rebuild one’s life can turn into a tragedy: between December 2024 and May 2026, 816 of the 1,261 recorded incidents took place on farmland or in grazing areas—places where people go to provide for themselves.

S. H., who returned to her village in late 2024 after several years living in a refugee camp in Jordan, recounts:

“The fear doesn’t stop there. The land around us is contaminated with explosive ordnance. My son was injured and had his leg amputated. Everything has changed since the accident; his mental health has been severely affected. My son is 16, but he no longer wants to go out to see his friends or play with his brothers and sisters. He feels that people would judge him.”

Combating Explosive Ordnance: A Prerequisite for a Safe Return

In the face of this growing crisis, promises of reconstruction and declarations of goodwill are not enough. Enabling a safe and dignified return for refugees to Syria requires a comprehensive approach: we must understand the true extent of contamination, identify the most affected communities and services, and implement concrete solutions to eliminate these threats. Explosive devices do not merely pose an immediate danger; they also block access to vital services and slow reconstruction. Without mine clearance operations or public education on the risks posed by explosive devices, no sustainable return is possible.

Danila Zizi, HI’s Country Director in Syria, states,

“In the Syrian context, the fight against contamination by explosive remnants of war must be seen not only as a humanitarian priority, but also as a fundamental prerequisite for mobility, access to services and, more broadly, any recovery process. Every day that passes without concrete action, lives are lost, and families are torn apart. The fight against explosive ordnance is not an option.”

Explore our Syria page to know more about HI’s activities there.

Spokespersons are available for interviews upon request.