On February 25, 2024, the explosion of a landmine planted by as yet unidentified parties caused a massacre, with initial estimates suggesting that 14 civilians were killed, while another eight were injured. The victims were in a truck near Jabal al-Sbe’ie in the badiya ‘desert’ of al-Rasafa city in southern rural Raqqa governorate, on their way to harvest desert truffles, when the landmine exploded. The area is under the control of Syrian regime forces.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) is still trying to locate eyewitnesses to obtain more information about the incident. We call on the controlling forces to uphold their responsibilities for protecting civilians in areas under their control, and to locate and remove landmines planted in these areas. We have documented hundreds of deaths and injuries resulting from landmine explosions, which pose a serious, long-term threat, especially to children, that will last for years to come.
