Despite warnings, 17-year old teen was shot dead and tens were injured by celebratory gunfire on 2020 New Year’s Eve in the Syrian regime-held areas of Damascus, Hama and Lattakia.

“The Police” Facebook page of Ministry of Interior quoted, on 1 January 2020, a source in Damascus Operation Room saying that 17-year old Saif Mustafa al-Farij was shot dead at Bab Tuma square in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Eight others were reported injured, by the same source, who said that casualties were transferred to different hospitals in Damascus after being shot during NYE.

The local Radio Melody FM quoted, on 1 January, the director of Tishreen University Hospital in Lattakia, that 12 firecracker-related injuries arrived at the hospital, and additional seven stray bullet injuries, as well as five more fireworks casualties who were transferred to the Hamzah Nofal hospital.

The Ministry of Interior stated before the NYE that it is necessary to put an end to the random celebratory gunfire, and that police patrols will take actions against anyone who would fire a gun.

Yet, despite the intensive spread of security forces and police units, the state failed to limit celebratory gunfire, which took place in most of the Syrian regime-controlled areas in the 2020 NYE, especially in Damascus, Lattakia, Hama, Homs, and Aleppo.

Two persons were reported dead and 16 more were wounded by random gunfire last year during the New Year’s celebration in Lattakia and Tartous, according to the state-run SANA while three were shot dead and 25 were wounded during the 2018 NYE.