Syria
A soldier sits atop a Russian military vehicle taking part in a joint Russian-Turkish patrol near the town of al-Jawadiyah, Hasaka province, northeast Syria on December 24, 2020. File photo: Delil Souleiman/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A car bomb exploded outside a Russian base in northeastern Syria, south of Ain Issa on Friday, according to a conflict monitor and local media. An al-Qaeda-linked group has reportedly claimed responsibility. The attack comes amid near-daily clashes in the area between Kurdish-led forces and Syrian militias backed by Turkey.
Two men parked an explosive-laden vehicle outside the Russian base in the town of Tal al-Samen and fled before detonating the bomb, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, adding that there were injuries among the Russian forces.
“It’s the first such direct attack against a Russian base in northeastern Syria,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Observatory, told AFP.
Russia has not immediately commented on the incident.
A statement purportedly from the jihadist group Hurras al-Din, which has ties to al-Qaeda, circulated on social media and claimed responsibility for the attack. Hurras al-Din is designated a terror organization by the United States and its activities are concentrated in Idlib.
Russian forces are present in northeastern Syria as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered last year that ended Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Russia recently deployed more forces to the area after deadly clashes between Turkish-backed militias and the SDF.
Two men parked an explosive-laden vehicle outside the Russian base in the town of Tal al-Samen and fled before detonating the bomb, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, adding that there were injuries among the Russian forces.
“It’s the first such direct attack against a Russian base in northeastern Syria,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Observatory, told AFP.
Russia has not immediately commented on the incident.
A statement purportedly from the jihadist group Hurras al-Din, which has ties to al-Qaeda, circulated on social media and claimed responsibility for the attack. Hurras al-Din is designated a terror organization by the United States and its activities are concentrated in Idlib.
Russian forces are present in northeastern Syria as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered last year that ended Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Russia recently deployed more forces to the area after deadly clashes between Turkish-backed militias and the SDF.
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