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Syria: Warehouse explosion result of rocket fire from shore

Friday saw reports of mysterious explosion of a Syrian army munitions warehouse in costal city of Latakia, however source of explosion remained unclear; Sunday, Hezbollah-affiliated paper claims fire came from shore area

The Hezbollah affiliated Lebanese paper Al-Akhbar published Sunday new details about Friday's mysterious explosion which destroyed a Syrian army munitions warehouse near the sea-side town of Latakia in northwestern Syria.

 

The paper cited sources as claiming that the alleged rocket fire on the warehouse – which was part of a Syrian military base and caused a series of explosions – was perpetrated from the shore region, if not from the sea itself.

 

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A Syrian military officer located not far from Latakia told the paper that three missiles hit the army base, which is located at the outskirts of al-Haffa. He said that the attack caused a fire which eventually reached the munitions warehouse, causing it to catch fire and eventually explode.

 

According to reports, the explosion caused the death of one Syrian soldier and injured nine others.

 

The Syrian army reportedly returned fire causing the fire to spread farther towards the coastal city.

 

The story was first published on Friday when Syrian opposition forces claimed that a warehouse belonging to the Syrian army exploded that morning as a result of a missile attack.

 

The warehouse itself, it was reported, was located in a military base some 20 km outside the city and an army source who spoke to Al Manar's television station said that the missile originated from the battles currently being conducted in the town, however, contradictory reports have since emerged.

 

The website for the Free Syrian Army stipulated a number of alternative theories regarding who and what caused the Latakia explosion. Among the explanations proposed was the presence of "enemy aircraft" as well as rebel operated missiles. However, both claims were purely speculative.

 

The website of Al Manar, a Lebanese network owned by Hezbollah, published a story under the headline: "Military source to Al Manar: This is what really happened in Latakia."

 

The story claimed that a number of consecutive blasts were heard in the area but that an army investigation revealed they were stray mortars that fell within the army base, and whose origin was local clashes.

 

The source denied claims that the attack originated from the air or sea, and certainly not at the hands of "enemy aircraft," however Sunday's report seems to refute Al Manar's claims, shrouding the story in additional mystery.

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 07.07.13, 21:57
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