Sun Mar 16 21:46:41 UTC 2025: ## Syria: Building Collapse Kills Dozens in Latakia; Tensions Flare on Lebanon Border

**DAMASCUS, March 17, 2025** – A building collapse in Latakia, Syria, caused by an exploding ordnance leftover from the country’s 13-year conflict, has claimed the lives of at least 16 people, including women and children, the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) reported Sunday. Eighteen others were injured. The explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage area on the ground floor of a four-story building.

The incident comes amidst heightened tensions along the Syrian-Lebanese border. The Syrian Defense Ministry accused the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group of killing three Syrian soldiers near northeastern Lebanon, a claim Hezbollah denies. This follows clashes last month between Syrian forces and Lebanese clans in the same region. Syrian shelling on the Lebanese border town of Al-Qasr has also been reported by local media. The Syrian Defense Ministry vowed to retaliate against what it called a “dangerous escalation” by Hezbollah.

The UN reported in February that unexploded ordnance from the conflict has killed approximately 100 people over the past 13 years. Since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices have been safely removed, and 138 minefields identified across several Syrian provinces.

Latakia, a key port city, has recently experienced a surge in violence following clashes between Assad loyalists and insurgents. These clashes, and subsequent retaliatory attacks, resulted in over 1,000 deaths. The ongoing instability underscores the challenges facing Syria in the aftermath of the conflict.

Read More