Six injured in explosion at Syrian military depot

An accidental explosion at a military depot outside the northwestern coastal city of Latakia has left six people slightly injured, according to the Syrian state television.

It said a “technical error” caused the explosion on Wednesday at a military corps of engineers unit. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a number of activists on the ground, said at least 13 soldiers were injured.

The Observatory said smoke was rising from the depot, on the southern edge of the city. Latakia activists on Facebook also reported the arrival of ambulances and helicopters at the spot after the explosion.

Latakia province is a regime stronghold, where the population predominantly consists of members of President Bashar Assad’s Alawite sect.