In Syria’s coastal city of Latakia, a deadly explosion occurred as remnants from the 13-year conflict shattered peace, leading to the collapse of a building and the tragic deaths of more than a dozen individuals, according to the Syrian Civil Defense. This paramedic organization, known as the White Helmets, reported on Sunday that they worked throughout the night to sift through the debris, recovering 16 bodies, including women and children, and attended to 18 people who sustained injuries. It was noted by both the group and local residents that the explosion originated from a metal scrap storage area situated on the ground floor of a four-story building.
In a separate development, the Syrian Defense Ministry on Sunday evening accused the Lebanese Hezbollah militant faction of crossing into Syrian territory from Lebanon and killing three Syrian soldiers. However, Hezbollah issued a denial regarding any involvement in the incident, which took place near northeastern Lebanon, an area that witnessed clashes between Syrian forces and Lebanese clans in the previous month. Reports from local Lebanese media mentioned Syrian shelling affecting the northeastern Lebanese border town of Al-Qasr.
“The Defense Ministry will take all the necessary measures after this dangerous escalation from the Hezbollah militia,” the ministry stated, reflecting the rising tensions. Meanwhile, the United Nations highlighted in February that approximately 100 individuals have lost their lives due to exploding ordnance over the past 13 years. Despite the removal of Bashar Assad from power in December, over 1,400 unexploded ordnance devices have been safely dismantled in various parts of Syria, including Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor, and Lattakia, with 138 minefields and contaminated areas identified.
Recently, Latakia has witnessed an uptick in violence, particularly in its strategic position as a key port city. This follows an incident where gunmen loyal to Assad attacked a security patrol. The government’s subsequent counter-offensive, supported by allied factions, successfully quelled the insurgency but left behind a trail of widespread devastation and numerous retaliatory actions against members of the Alawite community, whom the Assad family belongs to. These ongoing clashes and retaliatory killings have resulted in more than a thousand fatalities.
