Lifting sanctions on Syria
The lifting of US sanctions gives Syrians an opportunity to rebuild their country, six months after the fall of the Assad regime ended 14 years of civil war.
While Syria's renewed international links offer hope for the future, the first step to recovery must be to remove the mines and explosives that are scattered across the country.
As families return to their homes after years of conflict, many are falling victim to unexploded bombs – estimated at 900 casualties since December 2024, with the true figure likely to be far higher.
The HALO Trust is on the ground now, working tirelessly to clear the land and protect local communities, but we urgently need to scale up our team.
Watch our video featuring HALO's Syria Programme Manager Damian O’Brien, who describes how, in May 2015, ISIS entered Palmyra, taking control of one Syria's most famous and historically important sites.
Our mission is to protect lives and restore the livelihoods of those affected by conflict.
We do this by training local people to destroy weapons that kill civilians and hamper economic recovery.
Our people do this every day in countries around the world, including Syria, Ukraine and across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It is vital, urgent work that saves millions of lives.
In the media
HALO in The New York Times
Tackling a deadly legacy in Syria
HALO in The Telegraph
Major General James Cowan: The Ottawa landmine ban treaty must remain relevant – here’s how
