An explosion at a weapons storage facility in northwestern Syria has resulted in at least 14 deaths and 11 injuries, authorities reported on Wednesday. The incident occurred near the city of Sarmada in Idlib province.
The Syrian Defense Ministry stated that the site was being used as a temporary holding location for weapons and remnants from the country’s prolonged civil war before they were to be relocated. The ministry confirmed that some of its staff members were among the injured.
According to the Idlib health department, preliminary counts place the toll at 14 fatalities and 11 wounded. Emergency responders and Red Cross personnel rushed to the scene to rescue victims potentially trapped under debris. However, the response was complicated by secondary explosions and intense fires fueled by the volatile materials present at the site.
Smoke continued to billow from the blast location for an extended period on Wednesday, and firefighters struggled for several hours to bring both the initial and secondary fires under control. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the explosion.
This tragedy marks the second fatal incident involving explosives in Idlib province this month. On September 1, five people were killed and several others were injured when a vehicle transporting ammunition exploded in the town of Binnish.
Idlib province remains heavily contaminated with ordnance following fierce combat that lasted from 2011 until late 2024. Syria recently transitioned to a new government after forces loyal to President Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted Bashar Assad and seized control of Damascus, ending more than a decade of civil war.
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