At least 13 people were killed on Sunday after a car bomb detonated in the town of Azaz in Syria, AP reported. One report said the toll was 17.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Britain said the blast occurred when people were leaving a mosque in Azaz after the iftar meal that breaks a day-long fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The observatory said 14 people, including four children, were killed in the blast.

The Azaz Media Center, a local activist collective, reported 13 deaths and several others wounded.

Azaz, which is now held by Turkey-backed fighters, was once controlled by Kurdish fighters opposed to Turkey.

The blast in Azaz comes a day after 10 people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack in Raqqa, a former stronghold of the Islamic State group in north Syria. The explosion killed five civilians and five soldiers of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by the United States that wrested the city from the Islamic State in October 2017, AFP had reported. </s> At least 14 people were killed when a car bomb exploded Sunday evening in the northwestern Syrian city of Azaz, near the Turkish border, a war monitor said.

Four children were among those killed in the explosion near a mosque in Azaz, a city in northern Aleppo province, said Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack also wounded more than 20 people, according to the Britain-based monitor.

"Many people were leaving evening prayers when the explosion happened," Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.

The Azaz Media Center, a local activist collective, said the blast killed at least 13 people and wounded many others.

The blast occurred after the iftar meal that breaks a daylong fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

It was not clear who was behind the attack.

Resident Abu Youssef said the explosion struck near the entrance of a market in the center of the city.

"The damage is severe: at least six stores were burned, the storefronts of dozens of other stores were blown out," he told AFP.

The bombing comes one day after a similar explosion killed 10 people and wounded 20 in the northeastern city of Raqqa.

Azaz was one of the towns liberated from terrorists by Turkish Armed Forces in Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016.

In the last two years, Turkey's Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations liberated the northern Syrian region from the PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) and Daesh terrorists, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians to return to their homes.

However, a number of liberated cities -- including Al-Bab, Jarablus, Azaz and Afrin -- remain subject to sporadic terrorist attacks from the nearby city of Tel Rifaat, which the YPG has occupied for over three years. </s> A fuel truck exploded in the busy centre of a rebel-held town near Syria's border with Turkey on Saturday, killing dozens of people and wounding dozens more, several sources said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 43 people, mostly civilians, were killed when the tanker blew up in front of a courthouse in the northern Syrian town of Azaz. Dozens more had severe injuries, said the Observatory, which monitors the violence in the country.

In unsourced comments, Turkey's privately-owned Dogan news agency said a car bomb planted by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was responsible. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the militant group.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency cited a doctor in Azaz as saying at least 60 people had been killed and more than 50 wounded. An Azaz resident who went to the local hospital told Reuters he had counted around 30 bodies laid out.

Syria's nearly six-year war has create a patchwork of areas of control across the country, and Azaz is a major stronghold of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA).

The FSA is an alliance of rebel groups whose fighters have, with Turkish military support, pushed ISIS militants out of the border area.

Saturday's explosion was heard across the border in the Turkish town of Kilis, Dogan said. Anadolu said 23 wounded people had been taken by ambulance to Kilis hospital, one of whom subsequently died.

In a round-up of its military operations over the last 24 hours in support of rebels in northern Syria, the Turkish military said on Saturday that 21 ISIS militants had been killed in clashes. Turkish warplanes destroyed buildings and vehicles in air strikes on 12 ISIS targets, it said. </s> A car bomb killed at least 13 people Sunday night near a mosque in a northern town held by Turkey-backed fighters, and wounded dozens of people, Syrian opposition activists said.

The blast in the town of Azaz occurred Sunday as scores of people were leaving the mosque of Maytam, wounding dozens including children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Observatory said the blast killed at least 14 people. It said the dead included four children.

The Azaz Media Center, a local activist collective, reported at least 13 deaths, along with many others wounded.

The blast occurred after the “iftar” meal that breaks a daylong fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The attack came a few days before Muslims celebrate the end of the holy moth with Eid el-Fitr, one of Islam’s most important feasts.

The town, which was once controlled by rival Kurdish fighters opposed to Turkey, has been hit by similar attacks in the past. </s> A car bomb blast in Syria's pro-Turkish rebel-held city of Azaz killed at least 14 people Sunday and wounded more than 20, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

Witnesses tell the monitor the bomb went off as people were leaving a mosque after evening prayers and meal breaking the daily Ramadan fast.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast, which also burned or blew out the windows of more than a dozen nearby stores.

The area has been the target of several other recent terrorist bombings.

Azaz is the main city in the part of Aleppo controlled by pro-Turkish rebels, who drove out Islamic State militants while keeping Kurdish forces out of the area as well.

Rebels still control Idlib province and part of Aleppo as they cling to slim hopes of toppling President Bashar al-Assad. </s> Beirut (ANTARA News) - A fuel truck exploded in the busy centre of a rebel-held town near Syrias border with Turkey on Saturday, killing dozens of people and wounding dozens more, several sources said.



 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 48 people, mostly civilians, were killed when the tanker blew up in front of a courthouse in the northern Syrian town of Azaz.



 Around 14 of the dead were rebel fighters or courthouse guards, it said.



 Dozens more had severe injuries, said the Observatory, which monitors the violence in the country.



 In unsourced comments, Turkeys privately owned Dogan news agency said a car bomb planted by Islamic State was responsible.



 There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the militant group.



 Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency cited a doctor in Azaz as saying at least 60 people had been killed and more than 50 wounded.



 An Azaz resident who went to the local hospital told Reuters he had counted around 30 bodies laid out.



 Syrias nearly six-year war has created a patchwork of areas of control across the country, and Azaz is a major stronghold of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA).



 The FSA is an alliance of moderate rebel groups whose fighters have, with Turkish military support, pushed Islamic State militants out of the border area.



 Saturdays explosion was heard across the border in the Turkish town of Kilis, Dogan said.



 Anadolu said 23 wounded people had been taken by ambulance to Kilis hospital, one of whom subsequently died.



 Southeast of Azaz, Turkish forces have launched an offensive to take back the Islamic State-held town of al-Bab. 



 In a round-up of its military operations in support of rebels in northern Syria, the Turkish military said that on Friday 21 Islamic State militants had been killed in clashes.



 In a later statement, Turkeys army said that on Saturday one Turkish soldier was killed in clashes with the militants, while Turkish warplanes killed 37 militants, including three senior members of the group, in air strikes. </s> Beirut: A suicide car bomb in a northwestern Syrian city held by Turkey-backed rebels killed at least 14 people on Sunday, a war monitor said.

Four children were among those killed in the explosion in Azaz, a city at the heart of a Turkish zone of influence in northern Aleppo province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack also wounded more than 20 people, according to the Britain-based monitor.

“Many people were leaving evening prayers when the explosion happened,” Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman said.

It was not clear who was behind the attack.

The bombing comes one day after a similar explosion killed 10 people and wounded 20 in the northeastern city of Raqa.

Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 and seized more than 2,000 square kilometres in northern Syria including Azaz, clearing the area of the Islamic State jihadists, while preventing any Kurdish advance in the region.

Ankara keeps Turkish troops and intelligence forces in the area, and still backs the local police forces. </s> Fuel truck explodes in front of courthouse in Azaz, and news agency says car bomb planted by Islamic State was responsible

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A fuel truck has exploded in the centre of a rebel-held town near Syria’s border with Turkey, killing dozens of people.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 48 people, mostly civilians, were killed when the tanker blew up in front of a courthouse in the northern town of Azaz. Around 14 of the dead were rebel fighters or courthouse guards, it said. Dozens more were injured.

Turkey’s privately owned Dogan news agency said a car bomb planted by Islamic State was responsible. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the militant group.

Osama al-Merhi, a lawyer at the scene of the blast, also pointed the finger at IS.

“These kinds of crimes are only committed by the terrorist group Daesh,” he told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS. “They are the ones who target civilians and the cadres who are building this country.”

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency cited a doctor in Azaz as saying that at least 60 people had been killed and more than 50 wounded. An Azaz resident who went to the local hospital told Reuters he had counted around 30 bodies laid out.

The attack appeared to be the deadliest yet in the town in northern Aleppo province, which has been regularly hit by bombings targeting rebels and civilians. In November rebels said 25 people – civilians and opposition fighters – were killed in a car bombing of a rebel headquarters. The rebels accused the Islamic State group of being behind that attack.

Syria’s nearly six-year war has create a patchwork of areas of control across the country.Azaz is a stronghold of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), an alliance of moderate rebel groups whose fighters have, with Turkish military support, pushed Islamic State militants out of the border area.

In a roundup of its military operations over the last 24 hours in support of rebels in northern Syria, the Turkish military said on Saturday that 21 Islamic State militants had been killed in clashes.

It said its warplanes had destroyed buildings and vehicles in airstrikes on 12 Islamic State targets.

The blast comes during a fragile nationwide ceasefire brokered by Syrian government ally Russia and Turkey. The truce came into effect on December 30 and is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakh capital Astana, which regime ally Iran is also helping organise.

But the ceasefire and the planned talks have been threatened by ongoing violence in the rebel-held Wadi Barada region outside Damascus, which is the main water source for the capital. </s> A suicide car bomb in a northwestern Syrian city held by Turkey-backed armed groups killed at least 14 people on Sunday, a war monitor said.

Four children were among those killed in the explosion in Azaz, a city at the heart of a Turkish zone of influence in northern Aleppo province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack also wounded more than 20 people, according to the Britain-based monitor.

“Many people were leaving evening prayers when the explosion happened,” Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.

It was not clear who was behind the attack.

The bombing comes one day after a similar explosion killed 10 people and wounded 20 in the northeastern city of Raqqa.

Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 and seized more than 2,000 square km in northern Syria including Azaz, clearing the area of ISIS fighters, while preventing any Kurdish advance in the region.

Ankara keeps Turkish troops and intelligence forces in the area, and still backs the local police forces.
A car bomb in Azaz kills at least 21 people and leaves many wounded.