Ricardo Pires, UNICEF Communication Manager for Emergencies, told journalists from Damascus that in the last nine years, at least 422,000 incidents involving unexploded ordnance – or UXO - were reported in 14 governorates across Syria, “with half estimated to have ended in tragic child casualties”.

“Girls and boys in the country continue to suffer the brutal impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO) at an alarming rate,” he explained.

The UNICEF official underscored that in December last year, 116 children were killed or injured by UXO, an average of nearly four per day – a likely underestimate “given the fluidity of the situation,” he told journalists in Geneva.

“It’s the main cause of child casualties in Syria right now and has been for many years, and will continue to be,” with more than 300,000 mines still spread across the country, according to estimates.

Tragedy at every step

The danger affects some five million children living in areas contaminated with the lethal explosives, Mr. Pires said, for whom “every step they take carries the risk of an unimaginable tragedy”.

Renewed displacement has aggravated the danger. Mr. Pires recalled that since 27 November and amid escalating conflict, more than 250,000 children were forced to flee their homes as forces including Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) advanced on Damascus.

For the displaced and those trying to return home, “the peril of UXO is constant and unavoidable”, he stressed.

The threat has only intensified since the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December, as many weapons, including explosive weapons, have been left behind, in Homs but also in Damascus, Mr. Pires said.

Life-altering wounds

He described the devastating effects of this legacy on inquisitive youngsters. “Even if children survive these blasts, the struggle doesn't end,” he said. “Life-changing injuries and disabilities often mean they cannot return to school or might find it harder to access proper health care” and face stigma.

The UNICEF official called for increased humanitarian demining efforts, mine-risk education and support for survivors. He insisted that as part of discussions on reconstruction efforts supported by the international community, “it is imperative that immediate investment takes place to ensure the ground is safe and clear of explosives”.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder echoed that call, stressing that to fund demining, “we’re talking tens of millions of dollars… which would save thousands of lives” and help Syria regain its former status as a middle-income country.

“It is a very, very cheap price that needs to be paid,” he insisted.