Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh confirmed that the National Landmine Action Center is implementing the strategy devised to combat landmines over the next three years. He noted that the first map of landmine distribution in Syria will be launched soon, aiming to identify contaminated areas and enhance efforts to deal with them.
Al-Saleh explained in a statement to SANA on the sidelines of the Syria International Security and Safety Exhibition "FORTIX 2026" that landmines and war remnants represent one of the most prominent challenges facing Syria, due to their direct impact on the lives of civilians and children, as well as hindering reconstruction efforts and investment in agricultural lands.
In the same context, Al-Saleh stated that the ministry is working to exchange expertise and benefit from advanced technologies in the field of landmine clearance in cooperation with Germany and Ukraine. He pointed to a recent visit by an Ukrainian team to Syria and preparations to send a Syrian team to Ukraine soon, alongside developing national capabilities in cooperation with several countries and international partners.
For his part, the minister confirmed that the ministry is working to establish a joint operations room with Turkey to respond to emergencies and manage disasters on both sides of the border. This aims to accelerate coordination and response processes to fires, floods, and other disasters. He noted that the border between the two countries extends for approximately 910 kilometers.
Al-Saleh added that participation in international conferences, including the Global Security Forum in Doha, aims to enhance the security and safety system and emergency response, and develop cooperation with countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, in addition to holding meetings with several countries to deepen existing partnerships.
Regarding the file of camps, the minister revealed the closure of more than 165 camps in Syria over the past six months. He noted that an additional 220 camps are undergoing closure procedures, pointing out that the direction is to conclude the camp file by the end of 2027 by creating appropriate conditions for the safe and voluntary return of residents to their original areas.
He clarified that the ministry launched 238 projects under the "Syria Without Camps" initiative in the governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama about a month ago. The ministry is working to increase the number of these projects in the coming period, alongside efforts to remove rubble, barriers, and obstacles that prevent the rehabilitation of lands and their utilization.
Al-Saleh stressed that the vision of a Syria free of camps is not limited to their closure, but is based on making the original areas of residents livable and sustainable, and securing the necessary conditions for family stability after their return. Government efforts are concentrated through an integrated path that combines preparing infrastructure in destroyed areas and coordinating work between ministries, governorates, and international entities to ensure the return of residents and end the suffering of displacement.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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