At least 20 killed, 30 others injured after massive blast in Syria’s Deir Ezzor city; IS claims responsibility

Damascus, November 18: At least 20 civilians were killed while 30 others were injured in the deadly car bomb blast that took place at a refugee center near the city of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria on Friday evening. Islamic State terrorist organization has claimed the responsibility for the attack. Deir Ezzor is the strategic city of Syria which was reclaimed by Syrian forces from IS just a few days before.

 

The massive car bomb blast took place at a site where displaced families are located in al-Jafra area in eastern Syria near the city of Deir Ezzor city. As soon as the blast occurred, security forces and ambulances rushed to the site and transported at least 30 injured in the hospital. According to the hospital sources, the death toll may rise as few injured are in the critical stage. However, in the blast 20 civilians were killed.

Earlier, in the first week of November also, a blast took place at a major refugee center to the northwest of Deir Ezzor, where the suicide bomber detonated an explosive device installed in his car killing at least 75 refugees and injuring 120 others.

The blast takes place few days after the US-backed Syrian forces government forces reclaimed complete control over the strategic eastern city of Deir Ezzor from Islamic State terrorist organizations. A Syrian military spokesperson said that the forces regained complete control over the eastern city of Deir Ezzor from Islamic State terror outfit. "The armed forces, in cooperation with allied forces, liberated the city of Deir Ezzor completely from the clutches of the Daesh terrorist organization," the military spokesperson added.

Background:

Earlier on October 18 this year, US-backed Syrian forces reclaimed the city of Raqqa from Islamic State. While on October 6 of this year, Syrian military backed by the US-led coalition has cleared Islamic State from its last pocket of territory in central Syria after months of fighting. Syrian forces have also reclaimed Homs city and Aleppo from the possession of Islamic States.

Syria is affected by the civil war since many years due to which thousands of civilians lost their lives while millions were displaced. However, the civil war in Syria has erupted due to clashes between many terrorist organizations and government forces. At least 1,70,000 foreign terrorists have fought under different banners throughout Syria’s civil war.

Over 80,000 foreigners from countries such as Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France and the Caucasus have been recruited and traveled to Syria between 2013 and 2016 to fight alongside ISIS. This recruitment has been ongoing since 2013. Foreigners comprised up to 85% of ISIS terrorists, and despite the operation launched in mid-2016 to rout the terror organization from Iraq and Syria, over 20,000 foreign terrorists are still fighting alongside ISIS.