A devastating car bomb explosion in northern Syria has claimed the lives of at least 20 individuals, primarily women, according to the country’s presidency. The incident occurred on a major roadway in the southern outskirts of Manbij, where a vehicle laden with explosives detonated as a flat-bed truck transporting approximately 30 agricultural workers passed by.
The Syria Civil Defence, commonly referred to as the White Helmets, initially reported the death toll at 15, including 11 women and three girls, with an additional 15 women and girls injured, some sustaining critical injuries.
“The perpetrators of this terrorist attack will face the most severe punishments,”
said the presidency in a statement, underlining their commitment to bringing those responsible to justice.
Condemnation from local forces
No immediate claims of responsibility have emerged from any armed groups regarding this tragic bombing, marking it as the deadliest attack since rebel factions overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December. The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition supported by the US and controlling significant areas of northeastern Syria, condemned the bombing as a “criminal act” that jeopardizes the “unity of the national fabric.”
In a previous statement, the SDF’s media chief suggested that such attacks are part of the “fundamental tactics” employed by Turkish-backed groups known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), which has been engaged in clashes with the SDF around Manbij for the past two months. The SNA has yet to respond to these allegations; however, the Turkey-based Syrian Islamic Council has accused the SDF of orchestrating the blast.
Recent escalation in violence
Monday’s bombing marks the second attack in the Manbij area within a mere three days. On Saturday, an explosion in the city center led to the deaths of two children and a woman among the four casualties, as reported by the Syria Civil Defence. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring entity, indicated that this explosion occurred near an SNA military post, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals, including several fighters aligned with Turkey.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime, the SNA has sought to seize territory west of the Euphrates River that the SDF had controlled since displacing the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) in 2016. The SNA gained control of Manbij on December 9 after the SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council retreated. Since then, the SDF has initiated efforts to reclaim the area through counter-offensives.
Turkey is keen to push the SDF away from its border, viewing the Kurdish militia at its helm, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist organization. The YPG is considered an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has long sought Kurdish autonomy in Turkey.
This bombing incident coincides with ongoing negotiations between Syria’s transitional government and the SDF concerning the latter’s future role. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus last week, stating that discussions are being facilitated by Western mediators. “Our vision of Syria is a decentralized, secular and civil country based on democracy that preserves the rights of all of its components,” Abdi remarked, emphasizing the importance of incorporating various religious and ethnic groups into the national framework.
When queried about the potential dissolution of the SDF, Abdi expressed a willingness to integrate into Syria’s defense ministry and contribute to the nation’s defense strategy, albeit highlighting that the specifics remain to be negotiated. President Sharaa, whose Islamist faction played a pivotal role in the rebel offensive that ended Assad’s 24-year regime, previously indicated a desire for Syrian Kurdish groups to disarm. He stated, “Preventing bloodshed and treating everyone equally is our top priority. Therefore, we believe all weapons must be under state control.”