11 Syrian personnel killed in Deir ez-Zor depot blast

The Syrian Ministry of Defence announced that 11 of its personnel were killed in an explosion at a weapons depot at an army site near the town of Ayyash, west of Deir ez-Zor Governorate.

The ministry held a funeral for those killed at Deir ez-Zor National Hospital on Saturday, attended by officials and military personnel. It said investigations are continuing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The explosion follows a series of similar incidents of unknown origin involving ammunition depots and vehicles in Syria.

Among the most significant were two explosions in the country’s northwest earlier this month that killed 19 people.