Syria’s Defense Ministry says 31 soldiers killed in mine clearance operations
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that 31 soldiers were killed and 60 others injured over the past nine months during nationwide operations to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by years of conflict.
In a post on the social media platform X, Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Marhaf Abu Qasra said, “Engineering units of the Ministry of Defense have made heavy sacrifices during field operations, resulting in 31 martyrs and 60 wounded, including 12 amputations, in addition to the loss of 16 vehicles while carrying out the tasks.”
Large parts of Syria remain heavily contaminated with landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). Many of these were left behind during the Syrian conflict and continue to pose a serious risk to civilians, particularly children, who account for a significant number of monthly casualties.
The Defense Ministry said clearance operations were continuing across major cities and rural areas but acknowledged the high human and material cost of the effort.
War remnants have long been a concern for humanitarian organizations and local authorities. In areas administered by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and specialized demining units, often supported by international partners, also conduct clearance campaigns to protect civilians and facilitate safe returns to liberated areas.
The persistence of explosive hazards underscores the challenges facing Syria in restoring safety and stability after more than a decade of conflict.