A member of the Syrian Civil Defence at the scene of the explosion at the market in the Turkish-controlled city of Al Bab, in Syria's Aleppo province. AFP
A member of the Syrian Civil Defence at the scene of the explosion at the market in the Turkish-controlled city of Al Bab, in Syria's Aleppo province. AFP
A member of the Syrian Civil Defence at the scene of the explosion at the market in the Turkish-controlled city of Al Bab, in Syria's Aleppo province. AFP
A member of the Syrian Civil Defence at the scene of the explosion at the market in the Turkish-controlled city of Al Bab, in Syria's Aleppo province. AFP

Deadly blasts rock Turkish-controlled areas in Syria


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At least two people were killed and others wounded on Thursday in three separate blasts, including a suicide bombing, in Turkish-held areas of northern Syria, a war monitor said.

The suicide bomber launched an attack in the city of Afrin near a military base run by fighters supported by Turkey, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The observatory, based in Britain, did not have a casualty toll for that attack.

But its head, Rami Abdulrahman, said two people were killed earlier on Thursday in two other blasts elsewhere in northern Syria.

One was in a marketplace in the town of Al Bab, in an area of war-torn Syria that in recent years has turned into an informal Turkish protectorate.

Dozens of people were wounded in the explosion, Mr Abdulrahman said.

Before that, one person was killed and several wounded when a car bomb exploded in the town of Azaz.

It was not immediately clear if the three explosions were linked.

  • Turkish soldiers on patrol in the Syrian village of Ram Hamdan, north of the city of Idlib. All photos: AFP
    Turkish soldiers on patrol in the Syrian village of Ram Hamdan, north of the city of Idlib. All photos: AFP
  • Displaced Syrian children watch Turkish soldiers near the town of Batabu on the road linking Idlib to the Syrian Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey.
    Displaced Syrian children watch Turkish soldiers near the town of Batabu on the road linking Idlib to the Syrian Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey.
  • Turkish soldiers keep watch as vehicles from a joint Russian-Turkish patrol pass through the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Ariha in Syria's north-west Idlib province.
    Turkish soldiers keep watch as vehicles from a joint Russian-Turkish patrol pass through the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Ariha in Syria's north-west Idlib province.
  • Turkish soldiers secure a section of the M4 motorway near Ariha in Idlib province.
    Turkish soldiers secure a section of the M4 motorway near Ariha in Idlib province.
  • Turkish soldiers patrol on Arbaeen hill overlooking Ariha in the southern countryside of Idlib province, Syria.
    Turkish soldiers patrol on Arbaeen hill overlooking Ariha in the southern countryside of Idlib province, Syria.
  • Turkish soldiers on guard on a bridge overlooking a section of the M4 motorway.
    Turkish soldiers on guard on a bridge overlooking a section of the M4 motorway.
  • Turkish soldiers secure a section of the M4 to allow joint Russian-Turkish patrol to pass.
    Turkish soldiers secure a section of the M4 to allow joint Russian-Turkish patrol to pass.

All three towns are in the northern province of Aleppo, and under the control of Turkish forces and their Syrian allies.

Turkey and its allies have seized control of territory inside Syria over the course of several military operations launched since 2016.

The war in Syria has killed about 500,000 people and spurred the largest conflict-induced displacement since the Second World War after it broke out in 2011.

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Updated: January 13, 2022, 9:37 PM