Fourteen people were reported killed and 11 injured after a weapons and war-debris warehouse exploded near Sarmada in Syria’s northern Idlib countryside on Wednesday.
Footage shows thick black smoke billowing from the site as White Helmets crews and firefighters battled the flames. Syrian Red Crescent teams were seen carrying away bodies, while security personnel surrounded a scene of shattered rubble and burned-out vehicles.
Eyewitness Jumaa Sakkar, whose property was damaged in the blast, said the site had been used as a weapons depot since 2019.
“We repeatedly demanded that the owner remove the depot, which was located among houses, but he always replied that it contained only rifles and light weapons, not missiles,” he said.
“We were taken by surprise when the depot exploded today, causing significant damage to my uncles’ homes and widespread destruction. Three houses were completely destroyed. We are the Ghannama family and have lost everything we owned — our livelihoods and possessions are gone. The damage is immense,” he added.
The Ministry of Defence of the Syrian Transitional Government said the blast struck a temporary storage facility used to collect weapons and war debris before they were transported elsewhere.
Idlib has seen several deadly explosions this year. In early September, five people were killed in Binnish when a vehicle loaded with ammunition exploded.
Source: Viory
