Amidst the debris..

© Jordy Onken
A comprehensive assessment of the types and quantities of weapons used is not possible without
access to conflict-affected. Yet, based on information collected through social media, it is possible
to get an initial, rough idea of the types of ammunition used, the kind of weapons produced
and how they are produced. This information will be helpful in identifying hotspots of weapon
contamination or areas where additional research is needed.
Home made weapons and ammunitions
Rebel stockpiles of weapons and ammunition were soon expended after the uprising
began. Rebels had to start making their own weapons in order to keep fighting. Using expertise
from weapons experts and engineers who had defected from the SAA, as well as internet manuals,
rebel groups quickly mastered the production of a wide range of weaponry, from napalm-Molotov
cocktails, to hand grenades, pipe-bombs, mortars, IEDs and rocket launchers 187 . Most of these
weapons were imprecise and were fired indiscriminately into towns and neighbourhoods. Online
maps and smart phones were used for range finding and pinpointing enemy locations.
Clearly long-term health or environmental concerns are low on the list of priorities for the rebel
fighters involved in the production of makeshift weapons. Processes are undertaken without the
necessary safety precautions needed to prevent contamination. Manufacturing bombs and rockets
requires a range of hazardous substances and generates hazardous waste streams. Together
with the risk of accidental detonation this makes it a tightly regulated process in peacetime.
However in Syria, small munitions factories are built in basements and abandoned buildings 188 .
Munitions are prepared with a range of relatively easily available materials such as ammonium
PAX ! Amidst the debris...
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