Explosion injures at least four civilians in Afrin

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An explosion took place in Afrin city centre, northern Syria on Thursday, injuring four civilians, according to a local group. 

Syria Civil Defence, which is affiliated to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition, said in a tweet late Thursday that “four civilians, including a child and a boy, were injured” after an explosive-laden motorcycle exploded in a crowded market in downtown Afrin.  

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported the blast, saying a number of people were injured and nearby shops and cars were damaged.  

Afrin is located in Aleppo province. 

Turkey and its Syrian mercenaries occupied the Kurdish city of Afrin in 2018, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Kurds. The city was previously controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

Explosions often take place in Afrin, with Turkish officials blaming Kurdish forces. The SDF has denied targeting civilians.