At least 14 killed in explosion at temporary arms depot in Syria’s Idlib
Secondary explosions and fires hampered the emergency response near Sarmada, while authorities said the cause remained unknown.
At least 14 people were killed and 11 wounded on Wednesday after an explosion at a temporary site storing weapons and war remnants near Sarmada in Syria’s north-western Idlib province, according to Syrian authorities.
The Idlib health department described the figures as a preliminary toll. Syria’s Defence Ministry said the materials were being held at the site before being transported elsewhere, and that some ministry personnel were among those wounded.
Secondary explosions and fires, fuelled by volatile materials in the area, hampered the emergency response. Smoke continued to rise from the site as emergency teams searched the rubble.
Authorities have not reported what caused the blast. The identities and civilian or military status of those killed and wounded have not been fully specified.
The incident was reportedly the second fatal event of its kind in Idlib this month. On 1 September, five people were killed and others wounded when a vehicle carrying ammunition exploded in Binnish.
Idlib was among the regions hardest hit during Syria’s more than decade-long civil war. Deutsche Welle reported the preliminary casualty figures and details of the temporary storage site.
