16+ Dead in Devastating Explosion of Unexploded Ordnance in Syria
At least eight individuals fatally injured following detonation of an improvised explosive device in Syria. - Multiple fatalities reported in a bomb blast targeting a secluded alley in Syria
Woah, here's a grim situation. According to a local Syrian resident, a scrap dealer met his match with an unexpected explosion in a four-story building in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Latakia, a coastal city in Syria.
Apparently, the scrap dealer was trying to break down unexploded ordnance (UXO) for scrap metal when the bomb went off. This tragic accident resulted in the deaths of at least 16 individuals, with five women and five children among the casualties. A staggering 18 others were injured.
Local rescue teams, including the White Helmets, worked tirelessly through the night to search the rubble for more survivors. An eyewitness, Ward Jammoul, described the explosion as a "loud blast," leaving the building completely leveled.
This incident underscores the ongoing threat of UXO in Syria, with estimates showing between 100,000 and 300,000 such munitions still undetonated from the civil war.
It's important to note that this explosion didn't occur in isolation. Latakia has been a battleground between fighters of the new Islamic leadership in Damascus and supporters of the former ruler Bashar al-Assad, who is also an Alawite and had strong support in the coastal region. Recent fighting has resulted in massacres of civilians and hundreds of deaths.
Sources:[1] AFP[2] Syrian Observatory for Human Rights[3] The New York Times[4] CNN[5] BBC News
- The tragic explosion in Al-Rimal neighborhood of Latakia, a coastal city in Syria, was reportedly not an isolated incident, as the region has been a battleground between Damascus-based Islamic fighters and supporters of former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
- The explosion that claimed at least 16 lives, including five women and five children, was allegedly the result of a scrap dealer trying to break down unexploded ordnance (UXO) for scrap metal, a common practice in the area that continues to pose a threat due to the estimated 100,000 to 300,000 UXO still undetonated from the Syrian civil war.
- An eyewitness account reported a "loud blast" in Latakia, leaving a four-story building completely leveled, while local rescue teams, such as the White Helmets, worked diligently through the night, searching the rubble for any signs of survivors or casualties.
