The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management in Syria is working to keep civilians away from sites containing weapons and ammunition depots, according to Minister Raed al-Saleh in a statement to Enab Baladi following today’s explosion, Thursday, July 24, in Idlib, northern Syria.
Al-Saleh told Enab Baladi that the ministry worked to secure the area by evacuating civilians and transporting the majority of those injured following a blast at a weapons depot in Maarrat Misrin, in northern rural Idlib.
He added that the ministry is working in coordination with other relevant ministries to ensure no civilians remain near weapons storage areas. However, he noted a significant challenge: the presence of civilians who collect ammunition and war remnants, making it difficult to identify and contain all such locations and depots.
He pointed out that the ministry is carrying out public awareness campaigns to discourage civilians from storing explosive materials in populated areas, as this poses a threat to the lives of nearby residents.
Death Toll Rises
The death toll from the unidentified explosion in Maarrat Misrin has risen to six, with 140 others injured, including critical cases, according to the Idlib Governorate.
Unknown Explosion Cause
Minister Raed al-Saleh stated that the cause of the explosion remains unknown, adding that the ministry is waiting for investigations to be completed before announcing the cause.
For his part, Idlib Governor Mohammed Abdul Rahman said the explosion occurred in a warehouse containing war remnants, without specifying the cause. He added that the governorate is following up on the incident with the relevant authorities.
The Syrian Civil Defense, via its Telegram channel, reported injuries among staff at a Syrian Civil Defense production facility, which also sustained significant damage in the explosion.
Enab Baladi reached out to the media office at the Ministry of Defense to inquire about the nature of the explosion, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Series of Explosions in July
This incident is considered the most severe of three explosions that have occurred in the area during July.
An explosion took place on July 8 at a warehouse containing landmines and rockets left over from the war, north of the town of al-Fu’ah in rural Idlib, approximately one kilometer from residential areas.
That blast caused minor injuries and fainting due to the force of the explosion but no serious casualties, according to the Ministry of Interior, which did not specify the direct cause of the explosion at the time.
On July 2, Enab Baladi correspondents in Idlib reported explosions at a military site near the towns of Kafriya and al-Fu’ah in northern Idlib.
Syria’s state-run al-Ikhbariya channel, citing the Ministry of Defense’s media office, reported that the series of explosions was caused by high temperatures. The ministry denied any casualties among civilians or medical personnel.
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