DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria: Eleven Syrian soldiers were killed in an explosion at a military site in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
The blast occurred on Friday at an army position in the Ayyash area, west of Deir ez-Zor city, according to Syria’s state news agency, SANA. The ministry has not disclosed what caused the explosion. Authorities are investigating the incident and assessing the damage, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
A funeral ceremony for the dead soldiers was held at the National Hospital in Deir ez-Zor, SANA reported. Officers, relatives and fellow service members attended the procession as the victims were taken for burial.
Reports described the site as a weapons or ammunition storage facility, but Syrian authorities have not released detailed information about the circumstances of the blast. Rescue and security teams were sent to the area after the explosion, while searches continued at the damaged site.
The incident is the second deadly explosion at a Syrian military facility in less than two weeks. On September 9, a blast at a temporary weapons and war-remnants storage site near Sarmada, in the northwestern province of Idlib, killed at least 14 people and wounded more than 10 others, including civilians.
The repeated explosions have raised concern over the dangers surrounding weapons depots in a country still recovering from years of war. However, officials have not suggested that the two incidents were connected.
The cause of Friday’s blast remains unknown, and further details are expected as the investigation continues.
