A powerful explosion at a military warehouse in northern Idlib has left at least four people dead and 116 others injured, Syrian health officials confirmed on Thursday.

The blast occurred near the town of Ma’arrat Misrin, close to al-Fu’ah, and triggered a series of secondary explosions that have severely hampered rescue efforts.

According to the Syrian Ministry of Health, the explosion erupted at midday, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky and sparking large fires across the surrounding area. Eyewitnesses reported the presence of unidentified aircraft overhead at the time of the incident, though officials have not confirmed any airstrike involvement.

Emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene, with ambulance teams and civil defense units working under dangerous conditions to evacuate the wounded and contain the blaze. Authorities issued urgent warnings advising civilians to steer clear of the affected area as explosions continued intermittently.

Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, issued a statement via the social media platform X, saying rescue operations were ongoing but faced serious obstacles due to repeated secondary detonations.

“We are closely following the unidentified explosion that occurred today in Ma’arrat Misrin. Civil defense teams rushed immediately to the scene and are performing their duties to evacuate victims and transport the injured,” Saleh stated. “However, repeated secondary explosions continue to disrupt response efforts.”

He stressed that a final casualty count had yet to be confirmed as rescue workers struggled to navigate the unstable site, and called on local residents to avoid the area entirely for their safety.

The exact cause of the blast remains under investigation. Authorities have not ruled out any possibilities, including an accidental detonation, a targeted strike, or the spontaneous ignition of stored munitions.

The explosion has raised renewed concerns over the safety of munitions storage in populated areas, especially in conflict zones like Idlib, where ongoing instability and aerial threats continue to endanger civilian lives.

Investigations are ongoing, and Syrian officials have pledged to release further information as it becomes available. (ILKHA)