Syria says blast at military site in Deir Az Zor killed 11 soldiers

Eleven Syrian soldiers were killed in an explosion at a military site in the eastern province of Deir Az Zor, according to the country's Ministry of Defence. The blast struck a weapons cache inside a Syrian Arab Army position in the town of Ayyash, in western Deir Az Zor, officials said. Nine other soldiers were wounded in the incident, and the cause has not yet been determined.

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The ministry said a funeral procession was held on Saturday for the soldiers killed in the blast, a day after the explosion. State media showed mourners gathered outside the National Hospital in Deir Az Zor city, where the bodies, wrapped in Syrian flags, were carried in the procession. According to the broadcaster, the soldiers were killed while transporting heavy ammunition at the site.

Provincial authorities said an investigation is under way. The explosion is the second at a Syrian military site in less than two weeks, underscoring the continuing danger posed by weapons and ammunition left across the country after more than a decade of civil war. Earlier this month, a blast at a temporary weapons and war-remnants depot in the northwestern province of Idlib killed 14 soldiers and wounded more than 10 people, including civilians, according to the defence ministry.

Another ammunition explosion in Idlib on September 1 killed five people, state media reported. Deir Az Zor remains strategically significant because of its location in eastern Syria and the presence of military positions and transport routes in the area. The latest blast also highlights the risks faced by Syrian forces as they handle and move stored munitions.

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Such incidents have become a recurring feature of the post-war security environment, as authorities continue efforts to clear and secure abandoned weapons stockpiles. The available information does not yet establish whether the Deir Az Zor blast was caused by an accident, mishandling, or another factor. Officials have not given a timeline for the investigation, and no further details have been released about the condition of the wounded soldiers.

It remains unclear whether the site had been storing ammunition temporarily or as part of a longer-term military arrangement. What happens next will depend on the findings of the investigation and whether authorities release more detail about the weapons cache and the circumstances of the explosion. The incident adds to concern over the safety of ammunition storage and transport in Syria, where similar blasts have repeatedly caused military casualties.

Further official statements may clarify whether additional security measures will be introduced at comparable sites.

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