Syria suffered one of its worst attacks since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, with the explosion of a car bomb in the city of Manbij, in northern Syria, which killed at least 20 people, the vast majority of whom were women working in the agricultural sector. 'A treacherous explosion targeted our civilian families in the city of Manbij, leaving 20 martyrs and several injured,' stated the Syrian presidency in a brief statement, adding that the country will pursue and prosecute 'the authors of this criminal act.'
The victims were traveling in a pickup truck near which a car bomb exploded. The incident occurred on a road in Manbij, located east of Aleppo and controlled by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels, a scene of frequent clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance and factions supported by Ankara.
The Syrian Civil Defense, a group of rescuers known as the White Helmets, published photographs and a video of the attack, showing bodies piled in the open back of a pickup truck, where they were being transported to their workplace. The vast majority of the victims were women, although three children and one man also died, according to the organization.
'Each victim has a family and dreams. Their path in search of a life turned into death and wounds. They are not just numbers. Justice must be achieved for them and the perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable,' stated the White Helmets. The Syrian presidency indicated that 'this crime will not go unpunished, imposing the harshest penalties on those responsible so that they serve as an example to all those who think of playing with the security of Syria or harming its people.'
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for this attack. The SDF, a U.S.-backed alliance, denied any connection to the explosion in Manbij and labeled this attack as 'terrorist.' They asserted that the 'culture of bombs, internal struggles, terrorism, chaos, and discord is an inherent part of the actions of mercenary factions affiliated with Turkey.'
They also pointed out that they know which parties are trying to 'cover up' these actions through 'manufactured accusations' against the Kurdish-Syrian faction after the car bombings that occurred in the area, stating that the incidents 'have not been investigated' nor have 'evidence' been presented so far and that it is an attempt to 'divert suspicion' from the 'true' culprits.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an NGO based in the UK but with a wide network of collaborators on the ground, this is the sixth explosion of this type in areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions since late last December. Two days ago, the Observatory reported that nine people were killed and another 15 were injured in the explosion of a vehicle near a military site.
The factions backed by Turkey seized this city from the SDF last December during the offensive that toppled al-Assad, and since then, clashes have also occurred in the vicinity of this city.
