Landmine blast kills 2 children in Damascus countryside

Two Syrian children were killed on Friday in a landmine explosion in the Damascus countryside, according to state media.

Al-Ikhbariya TV reported that the explosion occurred in the Qalamoun Mountains between the towns of Deir Atiyah and Al-Qaryatayn, where the children were helping their father herd sheep.

The explosion was caused by a landmine left behind from the former regime.

Both children were rushed to the Al-Qalamoun Hospital in Al-Nabek, but one died before reaching the facility, while the other succumbed to severe injuries shortly after arrival.

Authorities periodically report casualties caused by unexploded ordnance left from the country’s 14-year conflict between 2011 and 2024.

The war, which erupted during the rule of Bashar al-Assad, left hundreds of thousands dead and caused widespread destruction to infrastructure before opposition forces entered Damascus in December 2024, leading to collapse of the regime.