On March 16, 2024, a landmine of as yet unidentified source killed 12 civilians, including 11 women, when it exploded under the car transporting them between the two villages of al-Shreida and al-Sabkha in eastern rural Raqqa governorate while they were going to harvest desert truffles. 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.
