Several people have been killed and dozens injured in a huge explosion in Syria, where local TV reports said the blast occurred at an ammunition depot.
Emergencies Minister Raed Al Saleh said there were “recurring explosions” near the town of Maarat Misrin, in the north-western province of Idlib. He said the cause was unknown.
Syria's Health Ministry gave a preliminary toll of four people killed and 116 injured, according to Syrian state news agency Sana. State-owned Ekhbariya TV gave a figure of six people killed.
“Syrian Civil Defence teams rushed to the site immediately after the incident and are performing their duty to evacuate victims and transport the injured," Sana quoted Mr Al Saleh as saying.
Idlib explosion - in pictures
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A plume of smoke rises from an explosion in Maarrat Misrin, in the north-western Syrian province of Idlib. Several people were reported killed. AFP -
An child awaits medical attention following the explosion. Dozens of people were reported injured. AFP -
Emergencies Minister Raed Al Saleh said there were 'recurring explosions' near Maarat Misrin. He said the cause was unknown. AP -
Syrian Civil Defence White Helmets personnel at the scene. AP -
Syria TV reported that 'war remnants and ammunition' had exploded at the site, leaving several people dead and dozens injured. AP -
An injured man sits on a hospital floor awaiting treatment. AFP
Syria TV reported that “war remnants and ammunition” had exploded at the site, leaving several people dead and injured. A correspondent said some people might have been trapped under the rubble.
“The area witnessed successive explosions as a result of the detonation of war remnants and munitions present at the site,” the broadcaster said, citing sources.
Bassel Seteif, the director of a medical centre treating patients, said almost 100 people had arrived there after the blast, of whom three had died.
"All the injuries are civilians, mostly women and children. The injuries varied from mild to severe," he said. "We redirected medium cases to different wards as we finish their treatment or sign them up for surgery if needed."
There was no immediate indication of any link to deadly fighting in Sweida in southern Syria, where hundreds of people have been killed in clashes involving pro-government forces and local militias.
Syria is struggling to recover from a nearly 14-year civil war that ended with the removal of former President Bashar Al Assad last year.
The Syrian economy has been devastated by the civil war that began in 2011 after an uprising against the Bashar Al Assad regime. The UN Development Programme estimates cumulative losses, including physical damage and economic deprivation, at $923 billion as of the end of last year. The estimated cost of reconstruction has varied from $250 billion to $500 billion.
