The Sabereen News network, affiliated with pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, claimed the explosion was triggered by a U.S. drone strike on a warehouse storing ammunition and missiles. However, there has been no official confirmation of the report.
Massive blast rocks Syrian's northwestern Idlib province, leaving numerous casualties
Videos from the scene showed a fire burning prior to the explosion, followed by a massive plume of smoke rising over the area. The blast occurred near the Masrin caves, according to Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s minister for emergency and disaster response in the post-Assad transitional government.
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Saleh said Syrian civil defense teams rushed to the site to evacuate casualties, but ongoing secondary explosions were hampering rescue operations. He urged the public to stay clear of the area for their safety.
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Massive blast rocks Syrian's northwestern Idlib province, leaving numerous casualties
Large-scale explosions have become increasingly common in Syria since the overthrow of former president Bashar Assad in December in a military coup led by rebel commander Ahmad al-Sharaa.
However, the blast comes at a politically fragile time, as al-Sharaa works to stabilize his new government following deadly clashes last week between Druze militias and Bedouin fighters that left over 1,300 dead and prompted a series of Israeli airstrikes.