36 die in blast as Syria state forces prepare major assault
BEIRUT — An explosion in northern Syria killed at least 36 people Sunday and wounded many others, but the cause of the blast wasn’t immediately known, opposition activists said.
The opposition-run Syrian Civil Defense, first responders also known as the White Helmets, said the blast occurred in the village of Sarmada near the Turkish border, killing 36 people and wounding many others. The explosion collapsed two five-story buildings, burying many of the victims, it said.
An opposition media collective known as the Smart news agency, said the dead included civilians as well as members of the al Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee.