ALBAWABA - The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) said that two people were killed and four others were wounded in a vehicle bomb blast in the northern Syrian city of Manbij. According to local reports, the event happened on Tuesday next to the city's recruiting facility.
Videos that went viral on social media showed people in military clothes trying to put out the fire as flames consumed many cars at the site. There was also the background sound of gunfire.
The incident, which coincides with continuing tensions in Manbij, has not yet been attributed to any organization. Conflicts between Syrian groups supported by Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have lately erupted in the city.
Two weeks of fierce warfare in and around Manbij preceded the explosion. A major change in power occurred on December 9, when Syrian National Army forces took over the city from the SDF. Shortly after Bashar al-Assad's government collapsed, the hostilities broke out.
The SDF started a staged withdrawal from the city center, withdrawing to outlying districts under a deal mediated by the United States and Turkey.
Following Assad's overthrow, Syria's new government has reached out to Kurdish organizations, requesting that they leave the country's northern and eastern regions and join the new administration. These actions are intended to lessen tensions and stop more deaths in the area.
The explosion highlights the continued instability in Manbij and the surrounding area as tensions remain high. There are now investigations regarding the assault.
