Damascus [Syria], March 17: An unexploded bomb from Syria's 13-year conflict exploded in the coastal city of Lattakia, killing at least 16 people, the paramedic group known as the White Helmets said on Sunday.
The explosion is thought to have been caused by a scrap dealer handling the old bomb.
It destroyed a four-story building, tearing down concrete slabs and trapping residents beneath their crushed homes.
"Search and rescue operations continue to recover those trapped," the White Helmet said in a post on Telegram, reporting that at least 18 people had been injured.
It posted a video on social media of people being pulled from the rubble alive.
UN reports 100 deaths from unexploded ordnance
Unexploded weapons from more than a decade of conflict continue to pose threats in war-torn Syria.
In February, the United Nations reported that about 100 people have died from unexploded ordnance over the last 13 years.
Since long-time president Bashar Assad was ousted in December, teams have safely disposed of over 1,400 unexploded devices.
Aid agency Humanity and Inclusion said experts estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 of the roughly one million munitions used during the war never detonated.
They have also identified 138 minefields and contaminated areas in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor, and Lattakia.
The explosion on Saturday came as public celebrations were held in several parts of Syria marking the 14th anniversary of the start of a uprising against the rule of Assad.
Lattakia recently witnessed the worst violence in Syria since the ouster of Assad.
A government-led counter-offensive, supported by allied factions, defeated the insurgency in the region.
However, this led to extensive destruction and numerous retaliatory attacks against members of the Alawite minority community, which includes the Assad family.
Over 1,000 people, the vase majority being civilians, were killed in the attacks that targeted Alawites.
Source: Times of Oman
