By Jennifer Dathan on 3 Dec 2025
Since the fall of Assad almost a year ago now, many countries hosting Syrian refugees have pushed for Syrians to return to Syria. Some countries have introduced financial incentives to aid their return, though these incentives often amount to very little when you are returning to a land devastated by conflict for more than a decade. Reports from initial returnees describe the instability and insecurity that come with returning. Some leave again, preferring the life in refugee camps to what Syria can currently offer.
A recent report by Synaps, based on 130 interviews with Syrian refugees, returnees and aid sector professionals, detailed the challenges faced by those who have returned including Syria’s ruined economy, destroyed infrastructure, and the absence of jobs or services. The article highlighted the dismal incentives offered by countries hosting refugees to encourage Syrian returnees and the absence of actual support that could enable many to return. Most of these countries have even slashed humanitarian funding supporting Syria and Syrian refugees.
But beyond the gutted infrastructure and broken economy, it is worth asking: is Syria safe to return to? Over a decade of conflict has left Syria littered with unexploded ordnance, bombs that have failed to explode from all forces across Syria in the last decade, including by Turkey, Russia, USA, Syria, Israel, and, of course, Britain. There are also improvised explosive devices, left by Islamic State and other non-state actors, that lie in wait in homes and other areas. A whole spectrum of explosive arsenal litters countrysides and cities alike.
Considering this, it is no surprise that a week doesn’t go by without a report of a civilian, often a child, killed or maimed by one of these explosive remnants of war. Just last week at least 10 were killed and injured by explosive remnants, including two dead (one man and one child) and eight injured (one woman and seven children). Areas impacted include Aleppo, Daraa, Damascus, Deir Ezzor, Idlib.
Date
Incident
Source
Monday November 24th 2025
Woman and daughter injured by ERW exploded in stove in Bidama, Idlib
https://npasyria.com/en/132489/
Monday November 24th 2025
Child grazing sheep severely injured by landmine explosion in Ghariba, Deir Ezzor
https://npasyria.com/en/132489/
Monday November 24th 2025
Five children injured by explosion of war remnant in al-Danaji village, Damascus
https://npasyria.com/en/132489/
Wednesday November 26th 2025
Tractor driver fatally injured by landmine explosion while farming in Al-Mazra’a village, Aleppo
https://www.syriahr.com/en/374055/
Friday November 28th 2025
Child killed in explosion of old grenade in Kafr Nasej village, Daraa
https://www.syriahr.com/en/374162/
Other violent incidents across the country last week included 15 killed and 20 injured in Rif Dimashq by Israeli bombardment; a civilian killed by a Syrian armed drone in al-Suweida; a man shot by gunmen on a motorcycle in Homs; and five killed and nine injured in explosion at weapons warehouse belonging to Turkistan Islamic Party in Kafr Takharim, Idlib.
In the first 10 months of this year at least 1,327 civilians have been killed and injured by unexploded ordnance across Syria, according to AOAV’s figures – over 130 a month on average.
With this in mind, last week’s 10 casualties actually made for a comparatively quiet week. It is also worth reflecting that in the same period last year (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024), AOAV recorded 271 civilian casualties from UXO. While we cannot be sure, it seems likely that this 390% increase in civilian harm between these periods may reflect to some degree a rise in Syrians returning to homes across the country since the fall of Assad last December.
On top of UXO casualties, violence still continues across the country, with 910 civilian deaths and injuries from explosive violence so far this year (to the end of October). These include 389 from air-launched explosives, 264 from ground-launched explosives, 234 from IEDs and landmines, and 23 from un unclear launch method.
In a 2025 Humanity and Inclusion report, it was estimated that there are between 100,000 and 300,000 explosive items littering the country, and two-thirds of the population at immediate risk of death or injury due to the UXO.
So, one year after Assad’s fall, Syria’s landscape is still defined by shattered infrastructure, urgent humanitarian need, and unexploded ordnance threatening daily life.
Before urging returnees, host states – particularly in the West – must invest in rebuilding the conditions that make return possible.
When those foundations are laid, it is likely many Syrians will wish to return.