In March 2026, GCS kicked off its first project in Syria with clear objectives: providing PEAR training in several governorates and combining operational mine action capability with the development of local expertise. Five months later, that approach is already taking shape.

Earlier this month, the Syria team completed its first mechanical clearance exercise in Kisweh, located south of Damascus. The task marked the first operational deployment of the GCS-100 in Syria following it's arrival in July, bringing a new mechanical clearance capability into the country's mine action sector.

For Amer Mardam-Bey, GCS Syria Country Manager and Area Business Development Manager, the significance of the operation extends beyond the task itself:

"the real achievement is not that a machine completed a task. The achievement is that, within a few months, with the support and coordination of the Syrian Mine Action Centre, we established a new project, trained Syrian operators, deployed a new capacity and put it to work in support of local communities. That creates a foundation we will continue building on."

Earlier, four Syrian GCS team members graduated from GCS' first Mechanical Operator Training Course in the country. The four-week programme provided practical training on operating and maintaining the GCS-100 and its attachments. Among the graduates was the local Team Leader, reflecting GCS' emphasis on developing capability within Syria rather than relying solely on external expertise.

This focus on local capacity building forms a central part of GCS' long-term approach. Alongside clearance activities, the organisation has recruited Syrian personnel, carries on transferring technical knowledge and expanding community engagement activities, including ordnance risk education and awareness training.

This first completed exercise marks only the beginning. Additional clearance activities are planned in the coming months as the Syria team continues to expand its team with local recruits, enhancing operational capacity, strengthening local expertise and supporting efforts to create safer conditions for communities to return, rebuild and move forward.