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Syria conflict: Bomb kills dozens in Azaz on Turkish border | Syria conflict: Bomb kills dozens in Azaz on Turkish border |
(about 2 hours later) | |
At least 43 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, reports say. | At least 43 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, reports say. |
The explosion occurred outside a courthouse in the town, some just 7km (four miles) from the Turkish frontier. | The explosion occurred outside a courthouse in the town, some just 7km (four miles) from the Turkish frontier. |
Azaz has recently been targeted by so-called Islamic State (IS). | Azaz has recently been targeted by so-called Islamic State (IS). |
The latest blast is the worst since a nationwide ceasefire - brokered by Russia and Turkey. IS is not included in the truce, which has mainly held. | |
No group has yet said it carried out the bombing, which according to some reports may have killed as many as 60 people and injured many more. | No group has yet said it carried out the bombing, which according to some reports may have killed as many as 60 people and injured many more. |
The activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six rebels were among the dead, with the rest believed to be civilians. | The activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six rebels were among the dead, with the rest believed to be civilians. |
Why Azaz is so important for Turkey | Why Azaz is so important for Turkey |
IS has tried several times to take the town it originally held it in 2013. | IS has tried several times to take the town it originally held it in 2013. |
It is a major stronghold of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army. | It is a major stronghold of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army. |
It has been contested by competing factions, with the Turkish government seeking to ensure that neither IS nor the Kurdish rebels it opposes manage to take control of it. | |
Thousands of people displaced from elsewhere in the province have settled in Azaz. | Thousands of people displaced from elsewhere in the province have settled in Azaz. |
They include those from Aleppo, which the government took from the rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad late last year. | They include those from Aleppo, which the government took from the rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad late last year. |
Twenty-five people were killed in a car bomb attack on rebel headquarters in November. And 17 others died in a similar attack on a rebel checkpoint in October. | Twenty-five people were killed in a car bomb attack on rebel headquarters in November. And 17 others died in a similar attack on a rebel checkpoint in October. |
IS has been blamed for the attacks. | IS has been blamed for the attacks. |
Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is now pushing for peace talks to be held later this month in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. | Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is now pushing for peace talks to be held later this month in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. |