Explosion in NW Syria Kills 12, Injures 150+

A powerful explosion in Maarrat Misrin, located in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, has killed at least 12 people, including a woman and a child, and injured over 150 others, many critically. The blast is believed to have originated from a weapons depot, with repeated secondary explosions complicating rescue efforts and causing widespread panic, especially in nearby displacement camps. Hospitals have urgently called for blood donations, while civil defense teams, including the White Helmets, continue to search for survivors trapped under rubble. Eyewitnesses reported heavy fires, dense smoke, and the presence of unidentified aircraft, although there is no official confirmation of foreign involvement or airstrikes. Syrian authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause of the explosion, and no group has claimed responsibility. The incident highlights the continuing instability in Syria, a country still recovering from a prolonged civil war that ended with the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.