Ambassador Ala: Clearing liberated areas of landmines top priority for Syrian government

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN and international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Hussam Eddin Ala said that clearing liberated areas of landmines, promotes awareness about their danger, and helping their victims are a top priority for the Syrian government.

Ala’s remarks came during the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention 4th Review Conference held in Oslo, in which he affirmed that demining liberated areas is a precondition for restoring normal life in them and enabling displaced Syrians to return to their homes.

He added that the Syrian Armed Forces’ dismantling mines teams, with the support of Russian forces, are executing demining plans in liberated areas in which Daesh, al-Nosra Front and other terrorist groups affiliated to them who planted many landmines and explosive devices.

He added that some states are politicizing this humanitarian work by abstaining from providing the necessary resources for demining, pointing out that the unilateral coercive sanctions imposed on Syria negatively affect the process of demining.

Ambassador Ala also explained the strenuous efforts being exerted by the Syrian government to help the victims of landmines through 12 centers for the government and civil society organizations that offer healthcare for victims.

Ala concluded that the illegitimate foreign military existence on some parts of the Syrian territories, the continuity of the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan and the use of terrorist organizations operating on Syrian territories of landmines and explosive materials constitute an obstacle for completing the demining.

K.Q.