LONDON: As Syrians return to farmland abandoned during years of war, demining experts are training residents to recognize and respond to the hidden dangers of unexploded bombs and landmines, with local women increasingly stepping into those roles.
In communities where explosive ordnance contaminates fields and villages, France-based Humanity & Inclusion, formally Handicap International, concluded a three-week humanitarian mine action training course on Feb. 5 aimed at protecting civilians in northwestern Syria.
The training, led by the organization’s Hama office, seeks to confront a deadly legacy left by 14 years of civil war and renewed violence over the past year. Participants were taught practical skills to help safeguard their neighbors as families return to long-vacant homes and farmland.
The team consisted of two instructors, 12 trainees, 10 deminers, a deputy team leader, and a team leader, supported by two translators. Over three intensive weeks, they carried out tasks primarily in the Idlib countryside and areas toward Aleppo.
“Most of their work involves spot tasks, particularly those linked to critical infrastructure such as irrigation systems,” lead instructor David Francis told Arab News.
