Explosion kills at least 6 in Syria’s Idlib

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A massive explosion struck Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib on Thursday afternoon, killing at least six people and injuring 140 others, according to the health ministry. The death toll is expected to rise due to the severity of some of the injuries

Syrian state media reported that the explosion took place in Ma'arrat Misrin town in Idlib province without mentioning the cause of the blast. It cited the health ministry as saying the explosion killed six and injured 140 others. 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the explosion occurred at an ammunition depot and warned that the death toll could rise. The blast’s proximity to camps housing internally displaced people has sparked fear and concern among local residents.

Idlib was formerly a stronghold of the now-dissolved Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), whose former commanders continue to hold significant influence within the region’s current interim government.

"The explosion comes amid a surge in sectarian violence across the country, with recent clashes between Druze militants and Sunni tribal fighters leaving at least 1,300 people dead, according to the SOHR. 

This is a developing story...