Accidental Explosion Kills 16 People in Latakia, Syria, Civil Defense Says

An accidental explosion caused by unexploded ordnance killed at least sixteen people in Latakia in western Syria on Saturday, March 15, 2025, according to a tally published by the official agency SANA.

“Latakia Governorate, a coastal province, is witnessing a notable wave of tourism, clearly visible in the congestion of roads leading to the city, especially those from neighboring provinces, in a scene that reflects the relative stability enjoyed by the Syrian coast and the growing appeal of the coastal destinations it offers”

Al-Jazeera Net

Civil Defense said the body of a woman was recovered from the rubble of a residential building in the Raml neighborhood of Latakia city on Sunday at dawn, bringing the toll to 16 dead, including five children.

Al-Jazeera Net

The explosion also left at least 18 wounded, including six children, and Civil Defense said search and rescue operations continue to extract those trapped under the rubble of the building, which has been destroyed for more than 12 hours.

Ouest-France reported that the agency confirms the version of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which had reported an “accident” caused by unexploded munitions abandoned during the civil war.

A resident of the neighborhood, Ward Jammoul, 32, said she heard a “loud explosion” and saw “a building completely destroyed.”

While the Latakia blast unfolded in western Syria, Radio France said Syria is promoting itself as a tourist destination, with a stand run by the Syrian Ministry of Tourism at the Madrid International Tourism Fair offering stays in Aleppo, at the ancient site of Palmyra, or a trip to Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.

Radio France said this was the first time since 2011, since the start of the Syrian civil war which has killed 300,000 and driven nearly 10 million people to flee the country.

Middle East Eye

The report quoted the Minister of Economy saying, “The army is present everywhere, so you can be reassured, you will be completely safe.”

Middle East Eye described French tour operator Clio as offering tourist circuits in Syria starting in April, including a ten-day itinerary with a private coach and overnight stays in hotels.

Clio’s deputy general manager Jean-Pierre Respaut said, “Where we propose to go, those are safe areas. We will not go into areas not yet fully pacified, such as Aleppo or along the Euphrates.”

Beyond the immediate blast, the sources tie Syria’s tourism push to risk and to the condition of sites, with Radio France noting that the Greco-Roman city of Palmyra was partially destroyed by the Islamic State group in August 2015.

“The best months to visit Syria”

Météocity

Radio France also said the citadel of Aleppo, a medieval fortified palace, was nearly ripped apart by an explosion in July 2015, and it framed security as an argument for relaunching tourism.

Middle East Eye reported that the Quai dOrsay, the French Foreign Ministry, strongly advises against traveling to Syria and said its liability would be engaged in the event of an incident.

The same report warned that French nationals or residents who have entered Syrian territory may be subject to an investigation in France regarding the grounds for their stay.

In parallel with the debate over safety, Al-Jazeera Net described Latakia Governorate as seeing a wave of tourism revived by “relative stability,” with congestion on roads leading to the city and beaches such as Al-Badroosia described as attracting Aleppo residents.