At least three people were killed and 10 others injured after an explosion at a temporary ammunition storage facility near Sarmada in the Idlib countryside in north-west Syria, according to local authorities.
The Idlib Media Directorate told state TV that the death toll from the ammunition depot explosion on the Sarmada motorway had risen to three, with more than 10 people injured. It said toll was preliminary.
Sobhi Assaf, media director at the Idlib Health Directorate, told The National that the severity of injuries ranged from minor to moderate, and that rescue efforts were being hampered by continuing explosions.
“There are victims whom rescue teams have been unable to retrieve so far because of the explosions caused by the ammunition,” Mr Assaf said.
The Syrian Defence Ministry said that a temporary ammunition storage facility affiliated with the ministry exploded near Sarmada, injuring several of its personnel.
Local sources also reported civilian casualties in the blast. The state Al Ekhbariya TV channel said earlier that eight people were injured. The cause of the explosion is not yet known.
The incident comes days after an ammunition-laden vehicle exploded in nearby Binnish in the Idlib countryside, killing at least five people and injuring five others, according to Syrian state media.
Idlib province was a rebel stronghold during the civil war, with many weapons depots in the area and much of the population heavily armed.
Rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a former Al Qaeda affiliate, launched an 11-day offensive in December 2024 that ultimately toppled the regime of Bashar Al Assad. The group's former members now control Syria.
