Nine killed in blast in northwest Syria, monitor says

At least 26 people were injured in the explosion in Idlib

epa06715388 The sun sets over a new graffiti by Azeez al-Asmer, Binnish Town, Idlib, Northern Syria, 05 May 2018 (Issued 06 May 2018). Azeez al-Asmer, a 45-years-old Syrian graffiti artist who paints graffiti and murals on the walls of the town of Binnish in northern Syria since 2013. His work is usually sarcastic and reflects on events regarding the Syrian conflict.  EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA
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Nine people, mostly civilians, were killed in an explosion on Saturday in the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib, a UK-based war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast left 26 people injured, adding that the cause of the explosion remains unclear.

In recent months, a number of blasts have rocked Idlib province, which has witnessed infighting between competing hardline groups opposed to President Bashar Al Assad.

The most prominent armed group is Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, which is led by Syria's former Al Qaeda branch.

More than 350,000 people have been killed in Syria's war and millions displaced since it erupted in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.

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