Explosion hits Qamishlo in Syrian Kurdistan

QAMISHLO, Syrian Kurdistan (Kurdistan24) - An explosion took place in the center of Qamishlo city of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) on Monday.

A bomb placed in a trash container blasted near al-Kindi Park, Quwatli Street in Qamishlo. According to a Kurdistan24 reporter, Heybar Othman, five people are injured. 

The Kurdish Security Forces (Asayish) have arrested a suspected person near the explosion site, said Othman.

"The wounded people are Milad Abdulahad, Eli Abdulahad, Merfat al-Mar'i, Zainab Azab and George Abdo," he added.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the explosion; however, a Kurdish security element said Islamic State (IS) is suspected to be behind it.

In late December, triple bombing attacks in a predominantly Christian neighborhood of Qamishlo left 17 people dead and over 35 injured.

On Jan. 25, a detonated explosive device attached to a bicycle near a shop along Miami Street in Al-Wusta, another predominantly Christian neighborhood of Qamishlo, killed three and injured 11 people. 

In March 2015, two bomb attacks during Newroz (Kurdish New Year) celebrations in the Syrian city of Hasakah left 35 dead and more than 150 wounded. In response, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delivered an estimated three tons of medical supplies.

Qamishlo is considered the capital of an autonomous Kurdish-run quasi-state which has emerged from Syria’s civil war. The city is mostly under the control of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG) as well as their Assyrian Christian allies (Sutoro Forces).

The YPG has been the most prolific partner on the ground in Syria for the US-led coalition that is fighting IS. In October 2015, the YPG became part of the new US-backed alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Reporting by Hisham Arafat and Mewan Dolamari

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany