The HALO Trust Assessing Syria’s Landmine Crisis
CISR
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(STV News) The HALO Trust, the world’s largest landmine-clearing charity, is assessing how to expand its operations in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime. Already active in parts of the country since 2017, HALO has disposed of thousands of dangerous explosives but has not operated in areas previously controlled by Assad. The recent regime change has triggered a tenfold rise in calls from Syrians concerned about landmines and unexploded ordnance, which remain a deadly legacy of the civil war.
Children are particularly at risk due to their curiosity around dangerous items. The charity is producing heat maps of heavily contaminated areas and emphasizing the need for international support to address the scale of the problem. Halo also educates communities on landmine risks to prevent unnecessary accidents.
