Study shows five million Syrians at high risk of explosive weapons

About 5.1 million Syrians are living in areas at high risk from explosive weapons, some of which fail to detonate and so will pose a deadly threat for years to come, aid group Handicap International said. The global charity examined 78,000 violent incidents in Syria’s war between December 2012 and March 2015 and found that more than 80 per cent involved highly destructive weapons like rockets, mortars and bombs, rather than light arms.

Syria will inherit the deadly legacy of explosive weapons for years.

Anne Garella, Regional Coordinator of Handicap International.

Diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a political solution have gone nowhere as range of insurgent groups continue to been battling the Syrian military and allied fighters. U.S. led air forces have been bombing ultra hardline Islamic State militants since last summer. The Handicap International study found that three-quarters of the incidents it recorded took place in populated areas like larger towns and cities. The research was based news reports, social media and data from the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.

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