DAMASCUS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Syria is preparing to release its first nationwide map identifying areas contaminated by landmines, as the country steps up efforts to address explosive remnants of war that continue to claim civilian lives, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported Monday.
Raed al-Saleh, chief of emergency and disaster management authorities, said the national mine action center was implementing a three-year strategy to tackle landmines and other explosive hazards, according to the report.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Syrian International Security and Safety Exhibition in Damascus, al-Saleh said the planned map would help identify contaminated areas and guide clearance operations.
He did not specify when the map would be released.
The minister described landmines and unexploded ordnance as major obstacles to Syria's recovery, threatening civilians, particularly children, while preventing farmers from cultivating their land and slowing reconstruction.
A report of the United Nations Children's Fund released in 2026 documented 1,051 explosive ordnance incidents across Syria between December 2024 and February 2026, resulting in 698 civilian deaths and 1,193 injuries. Children accounted for a substantial share of the casualties. ■
