The sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, after more than a decade of civil war, has left large quantities of unexploded ordnance and ammunition scattered throughout the country. The scope of the problem is acute, as children and young people are often affected, warns the UN children's organization Unicef on Tuesday.
Young people "continue to suffer from the brutal effects of unexploded war materials at an alarming rate", writes Unicef, confirming that 116 young people were injured or killed by bombs, landmines, grenades, and other ammunition left behind in December.
The problem of so-called blind shells is likely to persist for a long time to come.
The number of victims is likely to be much higher, says Ricardo Pires at Unicef, stating that blind shells have become a social problem in Syria:
At least 422,000 accidents involving blind shells have been reported from 14 regions across the country over the past nine years.
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