War remnant blast kills child in Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – A child died on Wednesday following the explosion of a war remnant he was tampering with in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria.
A local source told North Press that Hazem Abdullah, 9, died after a piece of unexploded ordnance detonated when he placed it in a fire near his family’s home in the village of Kabajib, west of Deir ez-Zor.
The source explained that the explosive was a deteriorated 24 mm machine gun shell, which exploded immediately after being placed in a fire the family had lit to burn household waste.
Despite ongoing demining efforts, war remnants and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a deadly threat to civilians across Deir ez-Zor, claiming lives on a near-daily basis.