At least 3 killed, 10 injured in ammunition depot blast in NW Syria

DAMASCUS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and more than 10 others injured on Wednesday in an explosion at an ammunition storage site near the city of Sarmada in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, according to preliminary reports.

The Syrian Defense Ministry's Media and Communications Department said the explosion occurred at a temporary storage facility used to collect weapons and remnants of war.

Defense ministry units are working in coordination with relevant authorities to secure the site, it said.

Earlier reports said the explosion occurred at an arms depot along the Sarmada highway, triggering a fire and prompting security forces to close roads leading to the area.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately known.