At least 23 killed in car bomb blast in Syria’s Idlib

At least 23 people have been killed and tens more  injured in a car bomb blast in the northwestern city of Idlib, a human rights group has said.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the explosion had targeted the headquarters of an opposition faction.

Photos and video from the activist-run Thiqa News Agency and Baladi News Agency show heavy damage along what appears to be a major avenue in the city, with several buildings damaged and vehicles overturned. 

First responders, ambulances and fire brigades are also seen arriving at the scene. 

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. The city and the province are controlled by several rebel factions and insurgents vying for dominance, the most powerful being an al-Qaida-linked group. 

The Syrian Army has been advancing on the region, which is the largest remaining rebel-held area in the north of the country, and recaptured the town of Sinjar, around 12 miles south of Abu Zuhour airbase earlier on Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the gain “opens the road” for government troops to march on the rebel-held Abu Zuhour airbase about 12 miles to the north.

The military has assigned one of its top commanders to lead the offensive into Idlib, the last major stronghold for rebels in northern Syria.

The UN said more than 2.5 million people are currently living in Idlib, including more than one million displaced by fighting from other parts of Syria.

Source: independent