Calls for Int’l Bodies to Remove Unexploded War Ordnance in Syria

 A displaced Syrian child standing beside the remnants of war (SOHR)
A displaced Syrian child standing beside the remnants of war (SOHR)
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Calls for Int’l Bodies to Remove Unexploded War Ordnance in Syria

 A displaced Syrian child standing beside the remnants of war (SOHR)
A displaced Syrian child standing beside the remnants of war (SOHR)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) renewed its appeal to all relevant international bodies to urgently remove old and unexploded wat ordnance in Syria.

War ordnance, such as old landmines and unexploded IEDs, bombs, shells, projectiles, grenades, and other munitions continue to pose a threat to the safety and lives of innocent Syrians, the war monitor stressed, noting that they are widely spread in the country.

These explosive remnants of war (ERW), which had been planted by military formations across the entire Syrian geography for over 11 years, have tragically killed and injured a large number of the Syrian people, it warned in a report published on Tuesday.

The SOHR has monitored and tracked the issue of explosive remnants of war and documented all the casualties in explosions of old landmines and unexploded ordnance across Syria in July 2022.

It documented the death of 20 civilians, including 14 women and eight children, and the injury of 30 civilians, including a woman and 20 children.

It further issued a monthly breakdown of casualties of explosions of old ordnance across Syria this year, noting that 16 civilians died in June, including four women and eight children, while 65 people were injured, including two women and 22 children.

In May, the war monitor said 19 people died, including two women and eight children, and 22 were injured, including two women and 15 children, some of whom sustained severe injuries.

In April, 19 civilians died, including two women and 12 children, while 22 people were injured, including four women and 13 children, some of whom sustained severe injuries.

March witnessed the death of 29 civilians, including 12 children, and the injury of 29, including three women and nine children, some of whom sustained severe injuries.

According to the report, 33 died in February, including two women and 16 children, and 37 were wounded, including 31 children.

It documented the death of 11 people in January, including two children, and the injury of 17 people, including nine children and two females.

Accordingly, SOHR documented the death of 127 civilians, including 10 women and 54 children, due to explosions of old landmines, unexploded shells and bombs across Syria since early 2022.

In addition, 192 civilians, including 11 women and 98 children, sustained various injuries in the same period.

Among the total death toll, a man and his son were killed in the collapse of a war-damaged building in Darya city in Rif Dimashq, as well as the death of four civilians in the collapse of another building in Jubar neighborhood.



EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The European Union is exploring possible support for a new committee established to take over the civil administration of Gaza, according to a document produced by the bloc's diplomatic arm and seen by Reuters.

"The EU is engaging with the newly established transitional governance structures for Gaza," the European External Action Service wrote in a document circulated to member states on Tuesday.

"The EU is also exploring possible support to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza," it added.

European foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza during a meeting in Brussels on February 23.


Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)

The Israeli military announced that one of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Gaza on Wednesday, but a security source said the death appeared to have been caused by "friendly fire".

"Staff Sergeant Ofri Yafe, aged 21, from HaYogev, a soldier in the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

A security source, however, told AFP that the soldier appeared to have been "killed by friendly fire", without providing further details.

"The incident is still under investigation," the source added.

The death brings to five the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect on October 10.


Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
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Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, said the process of merging the SDF with Syrian government forces “may take some time,” despite expressing confidence in the eventual success of the agreement.

His remarks came after earlier comments in which he acknowledged differences with Damascus over the concept of “decentralization.”

Speaking at a tribal conference in the northeastern city of Hasakah on Tuesday, Abdi said the issue of integration would not be resolved quickly, but stressed that the agreement remains on track.

He said the deal reached last month stipulates that three Syrian army brigades will be created out of the SDF.

Abdi added that all SDF military units have withdrawn to their barracks in an effort to preserve stability and continue implementing the announced integration agreement with the Syrian state.

He also emphasized the need for armed forces to withdraw from the vicinity of the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), to be replaced by security forces tasked with maintaining order.