12 killed, over 150 injured in Syria explosion

Damascus, July 25 (IANS) A powerful explosion rocked the area around Maarrat Misrin in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, killing at least 12 people, including a woman and a child, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The blast, which occurred in an area east of al-Foua and near the town of Sirin, is believed to have originated from a weapons depot, the observatory reported on Thursday.

Explosions continued later in the day as additional ammunition detonated, further complicating rescue efforts, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Syrian health authorities, quoted by state news agency SANA, reported earlier that seven people were killed and 157 injured in a non-final toll.

Many of the wounded are in critical condition.

Hospitals across Idlib launched urgent appeals for blood donations, and civil defence teams engaged in retrieving bodies from the rubble.

The observatory noted that the toll could rise, and there were reports of additional casualties.

The explosion has caused widespread panic, especially in surrounding displacement camps that house families from across Syria.

Eyewitnesses reported massive secondary blasts, heavy fires, and dense black smoke engulfing the area.

Civilian homes, vehicles, and nearby infrastructure sustained damage.

Ambulance and civil defence crews rushed to the scene as security forces cordoned off the area, and emergency alerts were issued.

Residents also reported the presence of unidentified aircraft in the sky at the time of the incident, although there has been no official confirmation of any airstrike or foreign involvement.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

As of Thursday evening, no group has claimed responsibility, and Syrian interim authorities have not released a conclusive statement on the nature of the blast.

The Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, said at least six people were killed in the blast.

"This is the death toll only of those recovered by Syria Civil Defence teams, who continue to search for those trapped under the rubble," the White Helmets said in a statement.

Raed Al-Saleh, Syria's minister of emergency and disaster management, said in a post on X that the country’s Civil Defence teams rushed to the scene of the blast and were working in dangerous and complex conditions.

He said the teams were carrying out evacuation and rescue operations amid ongoing secondary blasts.

Saleh urged residents to avoid the site for their own safety.

The blast was the third in the region this month. Earlier in July, two explosions rocked the Kafriya and al-Fu’ah regions.

--IANS

int/khz