As a result of more than fourteen years of conflict, 52 % of the country’s housing stock remained partially or completely damaged as of late 2025.389 In the period since the fall of the Al-Assad regime, conflict-related incidents continued to inflict significant damage to civilian infrastructure,390 including to residential buildings, medical and educational facilities, religious places of worship, agricultural lands and infrastructure, livestock, and water-related infrastructure.391 Both the hostilities in Latakia, Tartous, Homs and Hama in March 2025 and in Sweida in July 2025 led to the looting and destruction of houses and property.392 The March 2025 violence led to homes and shops being burnt393 and looted, leaving entire residential areas and villages decimated.394 In the context of combing operations led by transitional government forces, homes of Alawites395 and Shiites, as well as shops and other sources of income were looted, damaged or destroyed. In July 2025, multiple homes and businesses were set on fire in Sweida City, while most homes, businesses and Druze religious sites were looted and burnt across at least 35 Druze-majority villages in the governorate after their capture by government forces or armed tribesmen, according to the UNCOI. In several areas, Druze fighters in turn pillaged businesses, livestock and vehicles of Bedouins and destroyed their houses.396 The military escalation in the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhoods of Aleppo City in early January 2026 involved wide-spread looting of homes and shops, as well as destruction to private property after their residents/owners had fled.397
Israeli military operations also caused damage and destruction to civilian property,398 affecting 23 structures in three villages in Quneitra between December 2024 and May/June 2025.399 Further clashes resulting from an IDF ground incursion in Beit Jinn (Rural Damascus) in late November 2025 caused extensive damage and destruction to property.400 In January 2026, it was further reported that Israeli aircraft had sprayed pesticides over farmland in Quneitra for several days, allegedly to prevent the growth of vegetation used for cattle grazing.401
Landmines and explosive remnants of war remained a significant threat to civilians across Syria,402 especially in rural and agricultural areas.403 While the exact extent of contamination was unknown,404 it was reported to be highest in Latakia, Hama, Homs, Sweida, Deir Ez-Zor, and Raqqa.405 Between December 2024 and December 2025, around 900 explosive ordnance-linked incidents were recorded.406 Several sources estimated the number of deaths caused by such incidents since December 2024 at 607 as of the end of 2025407 (with an additional 1 061 injured)408 and at least 700 as of March/early April 2026409 (1 193 injuries).410 Meanwhile, SNHR recorded that at least 317 civilians had been killed by landmines between the fall of the Al-Assad regime in December 2024 and April 2026.411 Deir Ez-Zor, Aleppo, and Idlib accounted for the highest numbers of incidents412 and deaths from landmines and explosive remnants.413 Other areas highly affected by contamination included Homs, Hama,414 Dar’a,415 Raqqa and Hasaka.416 Unexploded ordnance posed a significant hazard to movements of IDPs417 and returning refugees, with former frontline zones deemed as areas most at risk.418 Children have been disproportionately affected by explosive remnants of war,419 accounting for 30 % of deaths and 40 % of injuries between December 2024 and February 2026,420 although such reported figures were likely to be below the actual numbers.421 Mine action organisations in 2025 surveyed more than 2.9 billion square metres of land, significantly extending the area assessed for contamination levels, and destroyed over 27 000 pieces of explosive ordnance found on farmland, along former frontlines, in civilian facilities, and along roads.422 Despite these efforts, the country lacked comprehensive mine clearance programmes423 and, as of early 2026, many contaminated areas remained where no demining operations were underway.424
- 389
UNHCR et al., Syria Nationwide Housing Damage Assessment (October-November-December 2025), 23 January 2026, url, p. 7
- 390
STJ, Syria: Forced Displacement and Looting of Property in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh during the Aleppo Escalation (January 2026), 2 April 2026, url; UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, April 2026, url, p. 13
- 391
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, April 2026, url, p. 13
- 392
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, para. 39
- 393
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, Annex I, p. 32, HRW, “Are you Alawi?” Identity-Based Killings During Syria’s Transition, 23 September 2025, url, p. 18
- 394
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, Annex I, p. 32
- 395
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, Annex I, p. 32; Shafaq News, Syrian Observatory: Three Alawites killed, homes burned in Latakia raids, 6 June 2025, url
- 396
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, Annex I, pp. 32-33
- 397
STJ, Syria: Forced Displacement and Looting of Property in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh during the Aleppo Escalation (January 2026), 2 April 2026, url
- 398
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, para. 82
- 399
Amnesty International, Syria: Israel’s deliberate destruction of civilian homes in Quneitra must be investigated as war crimes, 14 May 2026, url
- 400
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, A/HRC/61/62, 12 March 2026, url, Annex I, p. 38
- 401
Etana Syria, Brief: Israeli operations continue in south-west Syria, 3 February 2026, url
- 402
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic, Communities of Return Index, January 2026 – Round 4, 2 April 2026, url, p. 7
- 403
SNHR, The Fifteenth Annual Report on Human Rights Situation in Syria 2025, 26 March 2026, url, p. 8
- 404
Handicap International, Landminen in Syrien [Landmines in Syria], last updated 16 March 2026, url
- 405
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic, Communities of Return Index, January 2026 – Round 4, 2 April 2026, url, p. 7
- 406
UNMAS, Syria, last updated 10 June 2026, url; Mine Action AoR, Syria, 2025 – A Year in Review, Situation Update No.6, 8 December 2025, url, p. 2
- 407
UNMAS, Syria, last updated 10 June 2026, url
- 408
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (April 2026), 2 April 2026, url, p. 10
- 409
HALO Trust (The), Surviving the war, dying in peace, 23 March 2026, url; UNICEF, Children in Syria remain at deadly risk from explosive remnants of war, 4 April 2026, url
- 410
UNICEF, Children in Syria remain at deadly risk from explosive remnants of war, 4 April 2026, url
- 411
SNHR, On the International Day for Mine Awareness: Documenting the deaths of at least 3,799 civilians from landmines and cluster munitions in Syria, March 2011 – April 2026, 4 April 2026, url, p. 8
- 412
UNMAS, Syria, last updated 10 June 2026, url; Mine Action AoR, Syria, 2025 – A Year in Review, Situation Update No.6, 8 December 2025, url, p. 2
- 413
UNMAS, Syria, last updated 10 June 2026, url; SNHR, On the International Day for Mine Awareness: Documenting the deaths of at least 3,799 civilians from landmines and cluster munitions in Syria, March 2011 – April 2026, 4 April 2026, url, p. 8
- 414
UNICEF, Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Situation Report No. 16, October 2025, 28 November 2025, url, p. 2
- 415
Etana Syria, Brief: Israeli operations continue in south-west Syria, 3 February 2026, url
- 416
Enab Baladi, Explosive remnants of war continue to threaten children in northeast Syria, 28 March 2026, url
- 417
SARD, UXO Challenge in Syria and Awareness Campaign, 5 March 2026, url; Mine Action AoR, Syria, 2025 – A Year in Review, Situation Update No.6, 8 December 2025, url, p. 3
- 418
SARD, UXO Challenge in Syria and Awareness Campaign, 5 March 2026, url
- 419
UNICEF, Children in Syria remain at deadly risk from explosive remnants of war, 4 April 2026, url; HALO Trust (The), Surviving the war, dying in peace, 23 March 2026, url; SARD, UXO Challenge in Syria and Awareness Campaign, 5 March 2026, url;
- 420
UNICEF, Children in Syria remain at deadly risk from explosive remnants of war, 4 April 2026, url
- 421
UNICEF, Children in Syria remain at deadly risk from explosive remnants of war, 4 April 2026, url; HALO Trust (The), Surviving the war, dying in peace, 23 March 2026, url
- 422
Mine Action AoR, Syria, 2025 – A Year in Review, Situation Update No.6, 8 December 2025, url, p. 5
- 423
SNHR, The Fifteenth Annual Report on Human Rights Situation in Syria 2025, 26 March 2026, url, p. 8
- 424
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic, Communities of Return Index, January 2026 – Round 4, 2 April 2026, url, p. 8