War Remnants Management

The Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) program is a key strategic initiative within The White Helmets focusing on mitigating the risks posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance to civilians across all serviced communities in Syria. Its goal is to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from the widespread presence of unexploded war remnants since 2011. This issue continues amid ongoing military operations and heavy shelling by Syrian regime forces, Russia, and other entities.
White Helmets UXO teams began organized and systematic removal of war remnants in early 2016 to address this critical threat to civilian safety. Since then, they have successfully removed over 24,000 unexploded ordnances.
Currently, there are six centers dedicated to managing unexploded ordnance and war remnants, with 12 teams of volunteers—both men and women—engaged in surveying, removal, and awareness-raising activities.

Despite ongoing efforts, a significant number of unexploded ordnance and landmines remain in civilian areas, agricultural lands, and playgrounds, due to years of systematic shelling by the Syrian regime and Russia. These hazards will continue to pose a risk for years or even decades. With these threats widespread across Syria, the risk of injury and death will persist even after the war ends. The White Helmets remains steadfast on addressing this urgent issue, working to remove these dangers and educate civilians about their risks. Mine action and unexploded ordnance removal are vital investments in humanity, aiding in community recovery, allowing internally displaced persons to return to their homes, and ensuring children can safely access schools and playgrounds.

• Reduce Injuries and Fatalities: Decrease the number of injuries and deaths caused by the widespread presence of unexploded ordnance.
• Facilitate Civilian Return: Overcome one of the major barriers to displaced persons returning to their homes, particularly in areas that were frontlines or heavily shelled.
• Enable Agricultural Work: Allow farmers to use and cultivate land in areas affected by shelling. Removing unexploded ordnance opens up agricultural lands, contributing to economic sustainability and community empowerment.
• Increase Local Awareness: Educate local populations about the dangers of unexploded ordnance to reduce the number of accidents and increase safety.
• Raise International Awareness: Bring global attention to the extent of unexploded ordnance contamination in northwest Syria, highlighting the urgent need for effective intervention to mitigate these risks.

• Non-Technical Survey: The "non-technical survey" involves collecting and analyzing data on explosive contamination without using technical tools. This process helps to identify the location, type, and distribution of contamination and understand the surrounding environment. It supports prioritizing the final disposal of ordnance and informs decision-making by providing evidence. Teams conduct field visits to war-affected communities, gathering information from local residents, including key informants, community leaders, and the general population, about the history of shelling and incidents involving unexploded ordnance. They use this information to pinpoint contamination sites, create reference maps, mark locations, and forward this data to the ordnance removal and disposal teams.
• Final Disposal of Ordnance (Removal): This process includes a series of precise and complex operations, beginning with systematic and monitored clearing of hazardous areas that do not include landmines. It proceeds to the burning of ordnance for final disposal, following internationally approved standards and procedures (IMAS). The process concludes with the certification of land as free from unexploded ordnance. In Syria, this certification is challenging due to ongoing systematic shelling, which complicates the identification of completely safe areas.
• Explosive Hazards Awareness: This involves activities designed to reduce the risk of injury from ordnance and explosive materials by increasing awareness among the population. This includes educating different populations about their specific vulnerabilities and roles, and promoting behavioral changes. Key activities include providing general information, education, and training. Teams conduct direct awareness sessions for various social groups of different ages and genders, using appropriate methods and visual aids to effectively communicate the risks.

• Partnership with ICBL-CMC: The White Helmets (Syria Civil Defense) is a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines - Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC). We participate in the annual report issued by the campaign, which is endorsed by the United Nations, and share our contributions related to mine action, focusing on operations targeting cluster munitions and identifying contaminated areas. The White Helmets' membership in this campaign, as the second Syrian civil entity to join, is crucial for highlighting and increasing international attention on the severe contamination in northwest Syria.
• Technical Working Group: The White Helmets, in collaboration with partners working in this field in northwest Syria, are establishing a technical working group under the Protection Sector of OCHA. This group commenced work, led by the White Helmets, at the beginning of 2024, with periodic leadership shared between two organizations as planned.