Syria: At least seven children killed in roadside explosion in Daraa city, says war monitor

At least seven children were reported killed after a roadside bomb exploded in southwestern Syria. The explosion took place in an area where dozens of such incidents have already claimed about 100 lives in 2024, Syria's state media and a war monitor said. Daraa city is known as the cradle of popular uprising againstBashar al-Assad government. In 2011 a protest in the city had snowballed into an all-out Civil War.

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The explosion took place about 100 km from Damascusin Daraa, which lies between Jordan and Israel-controlled Golan heights. The Syrian government forces and their allies captured the city and province of Daraa from opposition forces in 2018.

There are conflicting accounts about the group behind the explosion. While Syria's state media blamed local militant groups for the attack, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights accused a pro-government militia for allegedly planting the bomb in an assassination attempt. The war monitor said that at least eights children were killed in the explosion.

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The observatory said the bombing is the 83rd security incident in Daraadocumented in 2024 so far.

What is the situation in Syria right now?

The war in Syria isnow in its 14th year. The near semblance of fragile stability in Syria is credited to a reconciliation agreement mediated by Moscow with rebel groups. But an armed insurgency continues.

The war has led to over 500,000 deaths and displaced an estimated 13 million people.The conflict has caused mass displacement, with over half of the country's population affected.

As of 2024, an estimated 16.7 million people require emergency aid.

(With inputs from agencies)