Powerful explosions at a weapons depot in northern Syria injured at least four people early on Monday, according to state media, prompting officials to urge residents to stay away from the affected area.
The blasts occurred at a Syrian army site near the town of al-Eis, south of Aleppo, the state-run SANA news agency reported. The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear.
The incident adds to a series of deadly explosions at military and weapons sites across Syria, a country still recovering from more than a decade of civil war following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Repeated blasts at ammunition depots have raised concerns about the safety and security of stockpiled weapons as the country works to stabilize.
Faisal Mohammad Ali, head of civil defence operations in Aleppo, told SANA that rescuers had evacuated four injured people from the site.
Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib urged residents not to leave their homes for the time being, adding that hospitals, ambulance and emergency teams are on full alert.
Roads leading to the site were closed to ensure the safety of civilians, according to Aleppo's Internal Security Command.
Several similar blasts have occurred in Syria in recent weeks. On Friday, an explosion of unknown origin killed 11 people at a military site in the eastern province of Deir Az Zor.
Earlier this month, an explosion at a weapons depot belonging to the Ministry of Defence killed 14 people and injured 11 in the northwestern Idlib province. Just over a week earlier, five people were killed in the same area when a vehicle carrying munitions exploded.
Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto, reporting from Aleppo, said a series of blasts followed the initial explosion. The explosions were audible from a few kilometres away, and a series of ambulances and fire trucks were seen entering the area.
A resident of Aleppo's Hamdaniyeh neighbourhood told the AFP news agency that they heard a huge explosion and, upon going to the roof, saw large flames in the distance.
The cause of the explosions has not yet been officially determined. Authorities have not confirmed the full extent of the damage or whether the casualty count may rise.
Residents have been advised to remain indoors while emergency teams continue their response and investigators work to establish what triggered the blasts.
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