On Monday, June 16, 2025, Atiya Jumaa Al-Khaled, 50, from the village of Karatin Kabir in the eastern Idlib countryside, died of wounds he sustained two days earlier when a landmine left over from the war exploded in the vicinity of the village. It should be noted that the area is under the control of the transitional government.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from local sources, Jumaa was injured by a landmine explosion left over from the war in an agricultural field on the outskirts of the village of Karatin Kabir in the Idlib countryside on June 14, 2025. He was subsequently transferred to the hospital for treatment and later died of his injuries.
This area is among the sites that have witnessed changes in control between the parties to the conflict, making determining who planted the mine extremely complex.
Legal Conclusions:
- The mine explosion that injured Atiya Al-Khaled and led to his death while he was engaged in a peaceful civilian activity (his presence in an agricultural field) is an example of the continuing threat posed by the effects of conflict to civilians.
- The continued presence of landmines in populated areas or close to civilian activity, without their removal or warning to the population, constitutes a violation of positive protection obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly Article 10 of the Amended Protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) on Mines, Booby-Traps, and Improvised Explosive Devices.
- The failure of the controlling parties to provide mine maps or place clear warning signs exposes civilians to death or injury and constitutes a violation of the principle of the duty to warn and inform stipulated in international humanitarian law.
- The inability to identify the party that planted the mine raises the issue of impunity, which requires an independent investigation and underscores the need for comprehensive documentation of remnants of war and contamination sites to avoid recurring incidents.
- The continued presence of mines in civilian areas constitutes a threat to the right to life and physical integrity.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Open an urgent investigation into the incident to determine which parties to the conflict planted mines in the area, and hold the responsible party legally responsible for negligence or deliberate action.
- Expedite landmine clearance operations, particularly in agricultural and pastoral areas close to population centers, in cooperation with international organizations such as the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and the Syrian Civil Defense.
- Prepare comprehensive and updated maps of mines and explosive remnants of war and disseminate them at the local level, with clear warning signs in all suspected areas, particularly those under the effective control of forces on the ground.
- Implement comprehensive local awareness campaigns targeting residents of rural areas and camps on the dangers of mines and how to identify and avoid them, in cooperation with civil society organizations.
- Provide direct support to the families of victims through urgent financial compensation, psychosocial support, and inclusion in programs to assist victims of explosive remnants of war.
