An explosion of an unexploded ordnance in a residential home in the town of al-Nairab, eastern Idlib governorate, resulted in fatalities and injuries, amidst ongoing search operations for missing persons.

A reporter from Enab Baladi in Idlib reported that an explosion occurred today, Thursday, February 20, resulting in deaths and injuries.

The Syria Civil Defence stated that initial information indicates the death of three civilians: a man, a woman, and a child, with a girl sustaining injuries in the preliminary toll, all from the same family.

They added that the explosion, caused by unexploded ordnance, occurred in a residential home and left significant destruction at the site.

The Civil Defence mentioned in a separate post that search operations are still ongoing for missing persons in the residential home where the explosion took place.

The rate of injuries from landmine explosions and unexploded ordnance has increased following the return of civilians to their areas, from which they had been displaced for years, including the town of al-Nairab, which was one of the frontlines near the battles with the ousted regime forces.

On February 17, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that explosive remnants continue to take lives across Syria, as reports indicate more than 430 people have been killed and injured since December 2024, nearly a third of whom are children.

Dujarric added in a press conference in New York city that mine action partners continue to report injuries due to explosive ordnance, which “unfortunately happens almost on a daily basis”.

According to the official UN website, as hostilities have decreased in some areas, UN humanitarian partners have expanded their work in mine clearance in areas that have recently become accessible.

The Syria Civil Defence previously reported, on January 20, that 40 people, including eight children and one woman, were killed by landmine explosions and remnants of war during the period from October 27, 2024, to January 19 (since the launch of the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation).

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the killing of at least 3,521 civilians, including 931 children and 362 women, as a result of landmine explosions since 2011 until the end of 2024.

The Network stated that the injuries resulting from these incidents reached about 10,400 people, many of whom require prosthetic limbs, rehabilitation, and psychological support.