Car bombing rocked Manbij as Syria witnessed multiple explosions
This marked the second explosion in the city within a week. Preliminary reports indicated casualties among Syrian opposition fighters and civilians, with major damage to shops in the nearby al-Sallalin market.
Dec. 28, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Syrian Civil Defense announced on Friday that a car bomb exploded in front of the Grand Mosque in the city center of Manbij, Aleppo province.
This marked the second explosion in the city within a week.
Preliminary reports indicated casualties among Syrian opposition fighters and civilians, with major damage to shops in the nearby al-Sallalin market.
The powerful explosion severely impacted the commercial area surrounding the Grand Mosque.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF - Hêzên Sûriya Demokratîk) were quick to distance themselves from the attack.
"We condemn the terrorist bombing that took place in the city of Manbij yesterday evening, and we reject any accusation that our forces were involved in it," the SDF stated in a post on X.
The group called on Manbij residents to “uncover the real perpetrators”, claiming they are "Turkish-backed mercenaries responsible for terrorizing and killing civilians."
This incident happened amid a series of explosions across Syria.
The Syrian police reported on Friday, Dec. 27, that a major explosion rocked Homs province at a missile ammunition depot.
Alaa Imran, Homs Province Police Commander, reported that the explosion was strong enough to be heard throughout the whole city, signifying it was aimed at causing civilian casualties.
In a separate incident, an ammunition depository that belonged to the 12th Brigade of the former Syrian regime army near Izraa city in Daraa province was also destroyed.
While local Syrian news sources attribute the explosion to regional mercenaries, earlier reports had indicated Israeli warplane involvement.
The city of Manbij has been a central point of tension in northern Syria, caught between various contending forces including the SDF, Turkish-backed opposition groups, remnants of pro-Assad forces, and other armed factions.
The latest surge in violence, especially the two explosions within a week, underlines the ongoing security challenges in the region following the collapse of the Assad regime.