Click to see full-size image, source: jorfnews.com
In the afternoon of February 21, a booby-trapped truck exploded near a bus, which was carrying workers on their way back from the Omar oil fields to the town of al-Shuhayl in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside, according to the local news outlet, Jorf News.
“Most of the victims are from the town of Dhiban … The are drillers, they were aboard a KIA bus on their way back from the oil fields when a Suzuki truck exploded,” Jorf News’ reporter said.
Local sources said that all 15 workers who were aboard the bus were killed in the explosion and many nearby civilians were injured. The number of casualties will likely grow in the upcoming few hours.
Earlier, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the US-led coalition, which control entire northeastern Syria, carried out a joint security operation in al-Shuhayl. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), three Iraqi members of ISIS were arrested in the framework of the operation.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. However, local observers believe that ISIS cells carried out the attack in response to the joint security operation.
