The United Nations confirms that more than 40 thousand hectares of agricultural land in Syria have been damaged

ARK News.. The (ESCWA) Committee confirmed that more than 40 thousand hectares of agricultural land in Syria have been damaged during the past ten years, due to deforestation, overgrazing, burning, mines, and oil leakage resulting from the activity of armed groups.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) said in a report on the occasion of its commemoration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought for the year 2024 under the slogan (United for the Land... Our Legacy and Our Future): "(40) thousand hectares of agricultural land spread across the governorates of northern Syria have been completely damaged, due to deforestation, overgrazing, burning, mines, and oil leakage resulting from the activity of armed groups.

According to the report, the deterioration was most noticeable in the Syrian Badia region, which covers more than 55 percent of the country's area, where about 76 percent of the pastures are in a deteriorated state.

According to (ESCWA), unregulated oil refining activities and the resulting soil and water pollution have turned the area into an environmental disaster spot, with deteriorating vegetation density and biodiversity, less fertile soils and loss of soil due to erosion, and increased groundwater salinity levels. The report added that military activities in Syria have caused widespread environmental damage, including soil and water pollution with heavy metals and chemical agents.

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