At least ten were killed and 30 injured in a massive car bomb that exploded early on 31 March in a crowded marketplace in the city of Azaz, in the countryside of Syria’s northwestern Aleppo province.
Ambulances rushed to transport the killed and injured to hospitals across the city. The death toll is expected to rise.
The Turkish-backed local council in Azaz announced the closure of schools in mourning for the victims of the attack. The bombing took place in an area under the control of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) coalition of armed groups.
The bombing took place two days after a joint attack in Aleppo early on 29 March, launched by Israeli warplanes and drones belonging to the Idlib-based Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) extremist group – formerly known as the Nusra Front, which enjoyed significant Israeli support throughout the war on Syria.
It also comes as there is continued tension between HTS and the Turkish-backed SNA.
HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Julani recently led a purge campaign against his own group, aimed at rooting out dissent and opposition to his rule. Hassan Aqeel, a journalist linked to Syria’s armed opposition, told Al-Mayadeen last month that Julani aimed to wipe out opposition to focus on his rivalry with SNA groups.
Over the past two years, Julani and HTS have had political and territorial disputes with the SNA factions in the Aleppo countryside, including in the city of Azaz.
Julani had been moving against them to secure control over Syrian border crossings and strengthen HTS economically.
The Azaz car combing also comes as there have been large protests against Julani in both Idlib and the Aleppo countryside recently.