Blast at Syrian weapons depot kills 14, injures 14

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An explosion on Wednesday in a warehouse for collecting weapons and war remnants in Syria's western Idlib province led to 14 deaths and 14 injuries, as civil defense crews fight fires, clear unexploded ordnance, and search for victims.

“A temporary warehouse designated for collecting weapons and war remnants before their transfer exploded near the city of Sarmada, northern Idlib,” the Syrian defense ministry’s media department told the state-owned Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), adding that the “explosion resulted in the injury of several ministry employees” and that units are working with authorities to secure the scene.

SANA reported that the Wednesday explosion has resulted in 14 dead and 14 injured, in a preliminary toll.

This comes amid efforts to clear and consolidate unexploded ordnance and abandoned munitions in a massive undertaking following 13 years of devastating civil war. 

The prolonged conflict came to an end in December 2024 when a sweeping rebel offensive ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, effectively toppling the decades-long rule of the Assad family and the Baathist regime. 

Since taking power, the Syrian interim government has prioritized securing the vast quantities of dangerous war remnants scattered across the country in order to stabilize recovering communities and prevent further civilian casualties.

“The injuries range from mild to moderate, noting that the casualty toll could still rise,” Idlib Health Directorate media director, Subhi Assaf, clarified to SANA, adding that “emergency teams, alongside Civil Defense teams, are continuing their work at the site to prevent further explosions and ensure the safety of residents.”

Civil defense teams are extinguishing fires, securing unexploded ordnance, and recovering victims from the blast site, according to Osama al-Mousa, the emergency operations commander at the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management in the area.