During a conflict, civilians always pay the highest price.
Even when ceasefires are agreed or conflicts fade from the headlines, the risks to civilians do not end.
Thousands of people are killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war every year. Almost half of all casualties are children.
In Gaza and Syria – among the most heavily contaminated areas following recent fighting – vast areas of land remain littered with explosive items, posing ongoing risks to returning families.
In Lebanon and Ukraine, unexploded ordnance is embedded in densely populated areas, putting people in immense danger as they move through their neighbourhoods.
In countries long out of the headlines, contamination from past conflicts continues to shape daily life decades later. Accidents are reported every year, and children born long after the fighting ended remain among the victims.
Landmines and unexploded ordnance are not only remnants of past conflicts – they are an ongoing and deadly threat. Often invisible, they contaminate fields, roads and public spaces. Their presence prevents families from farming, restricts access to essential services, disrupts education, and hinders communities from rebuilding.
Clearing these hazards – alongside providing life-saving safety education – is essential to reducing casualties, restoring access to land, and enabling recovery.
MAG teams work in some of the world’s most contaminated places to remove these threats.
Recovery does not begin when a conflict ends. It begins when land is made safe.
As we mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on April 4, hear from some of the communities we serve around the world:
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Iraq: Rizgar, Tariq, and Ali
MAG has been working in Iraq since 1992 to make land safe. Today, Rizgar, Tariq and Ali – three men from northern Iraq – were injured by explosive remnants of war. Their lives were changed in an instant, but today they are helping prevent further tragedies in their communities.
Rizgar, Tariq, and Ali tell their stories:
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Syria: Oman and Abdul
In Syria, the danger is often hidden in the rubble of destroyed homes and neighbourhoods.
In Khan Shaykhoun, three brothers – Abdul, 10, Omar, 5, and Hasan – were playing near damaged buildings when they found an unfamiliar object. It looked like a toy. Moments later, it exploded.
Abdul lost his right leg, and his left is now held together by a metal frame. Omar suffered similar life-changing injuries. Hasan did not survive.
Their story reflects a wider pattern: children are among the most frequent victims of landmines and unexploded ordnance, often unaware of the danger hidden in everyday environments.
Read more about the landmine emergency in Syria here.
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Sri Lanka: De La Salle Primary School
During Sri Lanka’s civil war (1983 to 2009), communities in Mannar district were forced to flee, leaving behind villages that became heavily contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war.
This contamination made return and recovery nearly impossible. It prevented families from returning, destroyed livelihoods, and made everyday life dangerous. Even schools were affected – children could not safely attend or play, and education was disrupted. At De La Salle Primary School, hidden landmines discovered during expansion forced its closure.
MAG teams were deployed to the school. By removing explosives, land was made safe again, allowing families to return, farming to resume, and children to learn and play without fear.
Learn more about MAG's work in Sri Lanka here.
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Angola: Antónia, MAG Deminer
Around the world, many MAG deminers are from local communities who have grown up living with the threat of landmines.
For Antónia in Angola, that threat became personal when her cousin was severely injured by an explosive item as a child.
Today, she works as a deminer near Luena, clearing land to prevent similar accidents. Over five years, she has found countless landmines – each one a reminder of the danger that remains.
“Where my cousin had his accident, there were no houses,” she says. “Now, a community is living there. Minefields have turned into farms, and schools have been built.”
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Ukraine: Nika, MAG Demining Team Leader
Before 2022, Nika worked in tourism and lived abroad. Today, she leads a demining team in Ukraine.
Since the war began, she has witnessed first-hand how landmines and unexploded ordnance contaminate homes, roads and farmland, turning familiar places into dangerous environments.
Her work is helping communities return and rebuild safely.
