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In the noon of January 19, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in a car near the electricity company in the northern Syrian city of Idlib, which is controlled by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) [the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria].
According to the Enab Baladi news outlet, eight people, including four women and children, were injured in the IED’s explosion. Some of the wounded are in a critical condition.
This was the second blast, which hit Idlib in the last 24 hours. Earlier, a booby-trapped car exploded near the southern entrance of the city killing 15 people and injuring many others. The attack reportedly targeted a key checkpoint of HTS.
Some pro-opposition activists claim that ISIS carried out both attacks in response to the execution of some of its members by HTS few days ago. However, others believe that Turkish-backed militants may be trying to destabilize the areas held by the radical group through such random acts of violence.
