On Sunday, June 7, 2026, Abdul Rahman Ahmad Mahdi Ahmado, a child from the city of Ariha in the southern Idlib Governorate, was killed by a cluster bomb explosion in the Jabal al-Arba’in area on the outskirts of Ariha. The area is under the control of the Syrian government.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from reliable local sources, the child found the cluster bomb while on his family’s farmland and began playing with it, causing it to explode and critically injure him. He later died from his injuries.
We are continuing our investigation, including reviewing and gathering further evidence and information. We urge anyone with information or details related to this incident to contact us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- Weapon remnants continue to pose a grave threat to the lives of civilians, especially children, who may handle these objects unaware of the dangers. The network has previously issued several reports on cluster munitions and other weapon remnants, warning of their far-reaching consequences, which include not only death but also permanent injuries and physical and psychological trauma.
- The use of these types of weapons in populated areas by Assad regime forces and Russian forces in recent years constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality, and entails legal responsibility.
- The lingering effects of these weapons after the conflict are an extension of previous violations, for which those who used them or left them uncleared bear primary responsibility, whether through direct action or negligence.
- Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees the right to life, which includes protecting the population from residual threats that endanger their lives, even in times of peace.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights recommends:
- Organizing and coordinating efforts to remove explosive remnants of war (ERW) scattered throughout the country, through a comprehensive national plan in partnership with relevant international organizations.
- Ensuring the rights of victims to access compensation, treatment, and psychological care, especially children and those with permanent disabilities resulting from these remnants.
- Identifying contaminated areas and publicly disseminating their maps, and activating community awareness campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of explosive devices.
- Cooperating with relevant international bodies such as UNMAS and the ICRC in developing technical and legislative standards for addressing ERW.
- Supporting Syrian post-conflict efforts through funding, training, and equipment, to ensure the effective and comprehensive removal of all ERW.
- Providing legal and technical support to document the use of prohibited weapons by the parties involved, contributing to accountability and justice.
- Providing sustainable and direct funding for mine and ERW clearance programs, and for building permanent national technical capacities in this field.
- Supporting rehabilitation and long-term care programs for victims of these remnants, particularly in marginalized and most affected areas.
