Daesh Roadside Bomb Blast in Western Syria Kills at Least 24 Civilians - Reports

Militants operating in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone on 16 February shelled four settlements in Hama and Aleppo provinces, according to the Russian Defence Ministry's Centre for Reconciliation in Syria.

At least 24 people have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the western Syrian province of Hama, state television reported.

The SANA agency reported that it was a landmine left behind by Daesh* in al-Azib valley in the Salamyieh countryside.

Such incidents in Syria are not uncommon, as terrorists, leaving settlements under the onslaught of the Syrian Army, put down explosive devices, sometimes even in residential buildings.

However, this number of victims is unprecedented since the liberation of territories from the control of terrorists.

A day earlier, the SANA agency reported that the Syrian Army had destroyed rocket launching pads for terrorist groups in Latamina, Kafar Zeita, al-Habbeet, and Mourek in the countryside of Hama and Idlib.

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On 16 February, terrorists from the Idilb de-escalation zone attacked Tall-Salhab and Kibriya in Hama province as well as Hara [a settlement] in Aleppo province and western districts in the city of Aleppo, the Russian Defence Ministry's Centre for Reconciliation reported.

According to a live map of the conflict, Daesh militants have lost control over most of the territories that they had previously held in Syria, due to actions by government forces and foreign assistance.

Russia and Turkey, alongside Iran, are guarantors of the ceasefire in Syria. Moscow has also been assisting Damascus both through supporting the struggle against terrorist groups operating in the country and providing humanitarian aid to civilians.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia