DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – An explosion of ordnance from Syria's protracted 13-year conflict rocked the coastal city of Lattakia, resulting in the collapse of a building and claiming the lives of more than a dozen individuals, as reported by the Syrian Civil Defense on Sunday.

The paramedic group, widely known as the White Helmets, conducted extensive search operations overnight, sifting through the rubble to recover a total of 16 bodies, which included five women and five children. Additionally, they reported that 18 others sustained injuries from the blast. According to the group and local residents, the explosion originated in a metal scrap storage area located on the ground floor of a four-story residential building.

The United Nations previously indicated in February that approximately a hundred people have been killed by exploding ordnance throughout the ongoing conflict. Following the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices scattered across Syria have been safely disposed of. Furthermore, 138 minefields and hazardous areas have been identified in regions including Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor, and Lattakia.

Lattakia, deemed a critical port city, has recently experienced an uptick in violence after armed gunmen, loyal to Assad, ambushed a security patrol. Although the government’s counter-offensive, supported by allied factions, succeeded in quashing the insurgency, it resulted in extensive destruction and numerous retaliatory killings targeting members of the Alawite community, from which the Assad family hails.

The ongoing clashes and acts of vengeance have led to the deaths of over 1,000 people, highlighting the devastating consequences of a conflict that has persisted for over a decade. The situation remains tenuous, with the community grappling with the aftereffects of violence and instability.