Syria: 18 killed and wounded among Ministry of Defense personnel in explosion west of Deir ez-Zor

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday that 18 personnel from the Ministry of Defense were killed or injured in an explosion at an ammunition depot within a military base in the vicinity of the town of Aiyash in western Deir ez-Zor countryside.

In a press statement issued today, the Observatory said that the intensity of the explosions and the continued scattering of projectiles and ammunition hindered the arrival of ambulance, fire, and civil defense teams at the scene. It revealed that a security cordon had been established around the area and rapid response teams were deployed after measures were taken to mitigate risks.

Earlier, the Media and Communications Directorate of the Ministry of Defense stated in a press statement, reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), that an explosion occurred at a Syrian Arab Army site in the Aiyash area, west of Deir ez-Zor.