At least seven people were killed and 30 others were injured in a car blast in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz near the Turkish border, the news agency Reuters reported on Sunday (Mar 31) citing residents and rescuers. The blast occurred Saturday late at night at a popular market after the breaking of the fast during Ramadan.
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far. Among the injured, some were seriously wounded and were transferred to local hospitals for treatment, civil defence forces said.
Speaking to Reuters, Yaseen Shalabi, who was near the incident site shopping with his family, said, “It’s (the explosion’s) timing comes with heavy congestion by shoppers.”
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the blast caused significant damage in the area and sparked a fire. Ambulances and rescue personnel were present at the scene.
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Azaz is run by Syrian rebel groups backed by Turkey opposing Syrian President Bashar al Assad. The town has seen relative calm after it was hit by a car blast over two years ago.
Main towns in the northwestern border area have in recent years been frequently hit by bombings detonated in crowded civilian areas.
(With inputs from agencies)
