Clearing Landmines & Helping Refugees in Syria

In Syria, HALO’s teams traverse former frontline combat zones every day, excavating and destroying landmines and other explosive remnants of war. One such area is Deir ez-Zor, a city in eastern Syria which became a major battleground in the country’s 14-year civil war.

But alongside the threat of landmines and other explosive remnants, other dangers from the war lurk for the families of Deir ez-Zor.

Challenges like infrastructure damage, pollution, and less-than-ideal environmental conditions have led to the contamination of water supplies. This can facilitate the rapid spread of deadly diseases like cholera.

To improve conditions, HALO has cleared a hazardous area at the city’s primary healthcare facility, Deir ez-Zor National Hospital.

The clearance allowed them to establish a dedicated medical waste facility, which can curb the spread of disease by keeping biomedical waste safely contained.

And this isn’t the only way HALO is providing care to communities.

Alongside partners, HALO is working to provide Community First Aid Responder training in Syria, teaching people the skills to respond to a blast injury if someone accidentally triggers an explosive.

When administered, this response can stop a mine victim's bleeding and sustain their vitals long enough to receive professional medical attention — which makes a lifesaving difference in the crucial moments after an explosive detonates.

In the minefield and beyond, the support of the HALO community is helping Syria become a safer place for families to return, rebuild, and remain.