Mines
As he did every day, Hassan Hanoush set out at dawn to buy his daily necessities. Before leaving, he kissed his ten-year-old son on the cheek and promised to return by the end of the day with something that would make him happy.
Hassan left the Al-Mashouh area, west of Al-Shaddadi, unaware that this would be the last morning of his life — and that the gift he was carrying for his son would never reach his hands.
Two hours before sunset, after finishing his shopping and preparing to return to his village, Hassan was walking along the road carrying a gift for his son. On the roadside, near a garbage container, an improvised explosive device fitted with a timer had been planted along a route used by civilians.
Hassan was unaware of the danger. As he approached the device, it exploded, leaving him critically injured. He was taken to the hospital, but succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind four children without a father or provider.
That day, Hassan’s family did not simply lose a father and a provider. A ten-year-old child also lost the father who had promised to return home with a gift.
Landmines, improvised explosive devices, and explosive remnants of war continue to threaten civilian lives, even in areas where life has resumed after the fighting has ended. They leave behind new victims and families forced to pay a price they had no part in creating.
As part of efforts to reduce this threat, our engineering teams have cleared approximately 90% of the area where Hassan lived, helping protect civilians and prevent further casualties caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war.