Suleiman Khalil was harvesting olives in a Syrian orchard with two buddies 4 months in the past, unaware the soil beneath them nonetheless hid lethal remnants of conflict.
The trio instantly seen a mine mendacity on the bottom. Panicked, Khalil and his buddies tried to depart, however he stepped on a hidden mine that exploded. Terrified, his buddies ran to search out an ambulance, however Khalil, 21, thought that they had deserted him.
Khalil’s left leg was badly wounded within the preliminary explosion. His proper leg was blown off from above the knee in a second blast. He used his shirt as a tourniquet on the stump and screamed for assist till a close-by soldier heard him and rushed to his help.
Whereas the practically 14-year Syrian conflict got here to an finish with the autumn of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, conflict remnants proceed to kill and maim.
Mines and explosive remnants – extensively used since 2011 by Syrian authorities forces, its allies and armed opposition teams – have contaminated huge areas, lots of which grew to become accessible solely after al-Assad’s authorities collapsed, resulting in a surge within the variety of landmine casualties, in response to a current Human Rights Watch (HRW) report.
Consultants estimated that tens of 1000’s of landmines stay buried throughout Syria, notably in former front-line areas like rural areas of Idlib governorate.
No less than 249 folks, together with 60 youngsters, have been killed and 379 injured by these munitions since December 8, in response to INSO, a world organisation that coordinates security for help staff.
Landmines not solely kill and maim but additionally trigger long-term psychological trauma and broader hurt, resembling displacement, lack of property and diminished entry to important providers, HRW says.
The rights group has urged the transitional authorities to determine a civilian-led mine motion authority in coordination with the United Nations Mine Motion Service to streamline and develop demining efforts.
