Unexploded landmines from over 14 years of civil war are scattered across Syria, already claiming hundreds of lives. DW follows an expert team from the HALO Trust as they race to take on the painstaking process of making the land safe again.
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00:00Landmines and unexploded munitions
00:04contaminate vast swath of land in this
00:07area of northern Syria. This team of
00:11experts from the HALU organization have
00:14taken on the long and tedious process
00:16of making the ground safe again.
00:20Before we're allowed to set foot on the
00:23minefield, team leader Zakaria Al-Othman
00:25gives us a mandatory safety briefing.
00:28God forbid if anything happens we will
00:31receive first aid here until we're taken
00:33to the nearest hospital. Is that clear?
00:37Nearly a third of Syria's population is
00:41affected by some form of explosive
00:43contamination as shown on this map from the UN.
00:46This field in Saraqib is less than half the
00:51size of a square kilometer. Clearing and
00:54securing it would take more than a year
00:57with the available resources. This is only
01:00one field in one area of one province. It
01:03could take decades to clear the entire
01:06country.
01:06We have fully cleared this area. We removed
01:14the soil and inspected it, ensuring it's free
01:18of hazards. We then returned the soil and
01:23began searching a new area. Finally, we will
01:27return this land to its owner, safe and free
01:30of mines. Currently, they only have two
01:35mine resistant vehicles equipped for the job
01:37and around 40 specialists in handling land
01:41mines and explosives working in northern Syria.
01:43The organization aims to increase its equipment
01:47and personnel and expand its operations to
01:50include all provinces. However, this will
01:53require a fund of up to 40 million dollars annually to
01:57complete the task and also time. But many are not
02:01willing to wait months or years to return home.
02:04You are grazing here. What if there are mines?
02:09I live it to God. You could lose your sheep.
02:13Who will compensate you? God will.
02:16What if you're killed? Didn't your cousin lose his leg?
02:19Will he walk again? I don't know. God knows.
02:22Be careful and try not to enter this area. It's dangerous.
02:28It will harm you and those around you.
02:36The search team has just found land mines.
02:38They will move them to a safe location and
02:41prepare for detonation. This is the first mine
02:44and the second is behind it. It's a directional
02:47anti-personnel mine. It has a plastic curved body
02:50and contains shrapnel. If it explodes, it could cause
02:53instant death because it hits all parts of a body.
02:56It is the worst.
02:58An incident is now.
02:59You can't do it.
03:00You can't do it.
03:06Is it ready?
03:07Can you get a path from the left side?
03:11Come on, fellas, three, two, one, nine, nine.
03:18The cars is getting around us.
03:20We are all good.
03:21I am all good.
03:22You are all good.
03:23Yes, fellas.