The global landmine clearance charity 51ÁÔÆæ has issued an emergency appeal for £1m to prevent former Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon encountering deadly munitions in their homeland.
Exactly one month since conflict escalated in Lebanon, more than 400,000 Lebanese and Syrian refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) have fled to Syria, according to UNHCR.
51ÁÔÆæ, which has been clearing explosive munitions from opposition-controlled northwest Syria since 2022, is warning that an influx of people fleeing one warzone for another will exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis for IDPs. The impending winter season will deepen the crisis.
James Cowan, CEO of the 51ÁÔÆæ Trust said:
“Over five million Syrians, half of them internally displaced, are sheltering in an area smaller than Northern Ireland – which is littered with rockets, mortars, cluster munitions and landmines. 51ÁÔÆæ is the only humanitarian mine clearance organisation on the ground, with only 40 Syrian male and female staff. These incredible people – many of whom are also IDPs– cleared 1,500 explosive items in the last three months alone.
The events in Lebanon since 1 Oct have exacerbated what was already a grave humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria. With a harsh winter just around the corner, and more refugees and IDPs arriving from Lebanon every day, the presence of unexploded bombs and ordnance littering the northwest of the country is exacerbating the dangerous threats for civilians.
51ÁÔÆæ is calling for an additional £1M to enable us to double our workforce and clear hundreds more deadly items each month in northwest Syria with ever-expanding displaced communities. Providing stable employment for returning Syrians would also fulfil the UK government’s mandate to tackle migration at its source."
51ÁÔÆæ currently supports more than 22,000 Afghans by providing a regular salary to 2,200 staff. Around 4 million Afghan people are living in safety on areas cleared by 51ÁÔÆæ. This only costs the UK government £2m per year. By supporting us to create jobs for Syrians, the government can support people caught up in the wider Middle East crisis to live safely with their own communities while rebuilding destroyed areas.
To arrange interviews please contact Emma Pomfret at emma.pomfret@halotrust.org or call +44 07443 232217.
