Syria's Latakia villages struggle against unexploded mines and other war remnants

Remnants of war, foremost landmines and unexploded ordnance, remain among the most dangerous challenges for residents hoping to return to their villages in the countryside of Latakia province in western Syria.

This is particularly the case in the Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman areas, which witnessed widespread destruction due to shelling and military operations during the years of conflict.

Days ago, the SANA news agency quoted Naeem Qureih, commander of the 50th Brigade company in the engineering regiment, as saying: "[E]ngineering units continue combing the areas of Jabal al-Akrad and al-Turkman in the Latakia countryside. They are focusing particularly on roads, agricultural land, and residential areas where suspicious objects have been detected. They have dismantled several mines and continue to receive reports from people and respond immediately to them to secure their safe return to their homes and lands and reduce risks that may threaten their lives."

On 17 February, the explosion of a bomb left over from the war in an area of the Latakia countryside renewed reminders of the scale of the ongoing danger. It resulted in three deaths, including Syrian Arab News Agency correspondent Hassan Hashem, Anadolu Agency correspondent Shawkat Aqja, and a soldier from the Syrian Arab Army.

This occurred during field coverage of a mine-clearing operation, underscoring the fragility of security even in areas undergoing engineering combing.

Large areas of the Latakia countryside have not been comprehensively surveyed.

Mohammed Younso, a resident of the village of Badama, told The New Arab that "mine removal operations are often limited due to the rugged terrain and the proximity of some areas to former military points and barracks. This slows the work and keeps the danger in place. Many residents fear working in their agricultural lands because of the numerous incidents."

Uday Izmerli, a resident of the town of Salma, told The New Arab that some villages, particularly in Jabal al-Akrad, contain minefields dating back to when foreign Russian forces had planted them to protect military sites.

Residents are forced to avoid many roads and farmland for fear of potential explosions.

This negatively impacts their activities on lands that constitute a source of livelihood and their freedom of movement.

With efforts continuing to open roads and remove rubble, the civil defence affiliated with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management reported that its specialised teams have carried out "more than 2,370 operations since the beginning of 2025 to remove unexploded bombs left by the ousted regime and its allies in various areas, including the Latakia countryside. Engineering battalions affiliated with the Ministry of Defence also continue to comb roads, agricultural lands, and residential areas in Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman."

In addition to mines, rubble constitutes a major obstacle to the return of life.

Civil defence teams in the Latakia countryside continue implementing a wide project to remove debris, which will include dozens of destroyed villages in the Jabal al-Akrad area.

Abdel Kafi Kayyal, director of the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management in Latakia, told The New Arab, "The campaign is considered a continuation of other projects launched in Idlib and Hama. It focuses on the northern Latakia countryside on calculating the expected quantities of war remnants, which we estimate are spread across more than 20 villages over an area of about 25,000 cubic metres."

Syrian civil defence teams are working with mine survey teams to survey roads used by secondary and main vehicles to remove debris from public and secondary roads, squares, and some destroyed homes.

"This campaign will open the way for reviving livelihoods for residents of the area. It will help remove barriers that cut off agricultural roads and support infrastructure repair in the northern Latakia countryside. These areas are considered destroyed and require several projects to support the provision of basic services and the return of displaced people from several areas in Syria," Kayyal told The New Arab.

Despite the importance of mine and debris removal campaigns, residents see that the path to safe return remains long.

A limited number of people have returned to villages such as Salma, Doreen, and al-Marouniya.

However, the absence of comprehensive mine surveys and restoration projects prevents a wider return.

Many residents agree that removing remnants of the war is a crucial first step.

However, it requires continuity, greater resources, and broader coordination among the relevant parties to ensure the return is voluntary, safe, and free of risk.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.