A powerful explosion rocked the countryside near Idlib city in Syria on Thursday, killing at least four people and wounding five others, according to a war monitoring group.
The blast occurred near Idlib city, citing an initial toll from the health authorities, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that multiple explosions erupted in the western countryside of Idlib, triggered by a blast at an ammunition depot and a facility used by foreign fighters in farmlands west of the city. The explosions coincided with the overflight of a drone in the area, the monitor said.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising over the site, causing panic among residents and passersby. Local reports described people fleeing the area amid fears of further blasts. Emergency crews and civil defense teams rushed to the scene, while security forces cordoned off the vicinity.
The observatory said the death toll could rise, noting that similar incidents have caused heavy casualties in the past. It recalled that on July 24, a series of explosions in a nearby location killed at least 12 people, including a woman and child, and injured more than 100 others after munitions stored by foreign fighters detonated.
Hospitals in Idlib issued urgent appeals for blood donations. Rescue teams continued efforts to clear debris and search for victims late into the day.
The blast site lies close to camps sheltering displaced Syrians from across the country, heightening fears for civilian safety, according to the observatory.
