Hama, Oct. 26 (SANA) A four-year-old boy was killed and two members of his family were injured when a landmine left behind by the ousted regime exploded during an olive harvest in Syria’s northern Hama countryside, a health official said Monday.
The explosion occurred on farmland in the town of Halfaya as a family was picking olives, Mohammad Masdar, head of the media office at the Hama Health Directorate, told SANA.
The blast killed Ahmad Abdul Karim al-Othman, 4, and injured his mother and uncle, Masdar said.
The two injured relatives were taken to a private hospital in Mhardeh for treatment. Both were reported to be in stable condition.
The incident follows another landmine explosion earlier this month in the village of al-Hamamiyat, also in northern Hama, which injured an eight-year-old child.
Landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by years of conflict continue to pose a serious threat to civilians across Syria, particularly in agricultural areas where residents are returning to work.
Authorities are continuing efforts to clear explosive hazards, secure affected areas and remove rubble from war-damaged communities to improve civilian safety and facilitate the return of normal life.
T.S /ABD
