In the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, a tragic explosion caused by leftover ordnance from the nation’s ongoing 13-year conflict resulted in the collapse of a building, claiming the lives of numerous individuals, reported the Syrian Civil Defense on Sunday.
Known as the White Helmets, the group explained that their team worked tirelessly through the night, combing the debris to retrieve 16 bodies, among which were five women and five children. Additionally, 18 people sustained injuries during the incident. Residents and the rescue group indicated that the explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage area located on the ground floor of a four-story residential building.
According to the United Nations, around one hundred people have died from explosive ordnance over the past 13 years. Since the fall of Bashar Assad in December, more than 1,400 unexploded devices have been safely neutralized across Syria, with 138 minefields and hazardous areas identified in regions like Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor, and Latakia.
Recently, Latakia, a strategic port city, and its surrounding areas have experienced a rise in violence following an attack by Assad loyalists on a security patrol. Although the government’s counterattacks, with help from supporting factions, subdued the insurgency, they left behind significant destruction and a string of revenge attacks aimed at the Alawite community, which is associated with the Assad regime.
The confrontations and ensuing acts of retribution have resulted in the loss of over 1,000 lives.
