SARMADA, Syria – An explosion ripped through a weapons warehouse near the town of Sarmada in Idlib province on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people and wounding 11 others, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.
What happened
The blast occurred at a facility that stored weapons and munitions left over from the country’s uprising and civil war that began in 2011 and continued until 2024, the state‑run SANA news agency reported, citing the Defense Ministry. The exact cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
Response on the ground
Civil Defense teams and the Syrian Red Crescent rushed to the scene, combing through rubble in search of survivors. An Associated Press photographer documented rescuers pulling bodies from the wreckage. Video circulating online shows a towering plume of black smoke and the sound of smaller secondary detonations.
Local reaction
Ahmad Faour, a mechanic who works near the warehouse, said he and other workers heard a small pop before the larger blast forced them to flee. “A weapons warehouse should not be placed in a public area, in a village with people and shops,” Faour said while examining damaged cars in his garage. “Those poor people who died were not guilty of anything.”
Context of similar incidents
Incidents involving abandoned arms depots have become a relatively common occurrence in Syria, a nation battered by more than a decade of war. The proliferation of unsecured munitions poses ongoing risks to civilians, especially in densely populated villages where former combat sites have been repurposed for everyday life.
Looking ahead
Syrian authorities have not released details about any investigation into the cause of the explosion or plans to relocate the remaining stockpiles. International observers continue to warn that the lingering presence of unsecured weapons could fuel further tragedies unless comprehensive disarmament and safe‑storage measures are implemented.
As rescue crews finish their search, families of the victims mourn the loss of loved ones and call for greater protection of civilian areas from the remnants of the long‑running conflict.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
