4 civilians dead, 9 injured in Syria blast

RAS AL-AYN, Syria

At least four civilians, including two children, were killed in an explosion in northern Syria, local medical sources said on Monday.

An explosion hit the Ras al-Ayn district, near the Turkey-Syria border, injuring nine others, health officials said.

The injured were taken to a hospital, while the blast caused serious material damage in a house hit by the explosion.

The exact cause of the blast is not yet known. Security forces launched an investigation into the explosion.

Ras al-Ayn was liberated from YPG/PKK terrorists on Oct. 12, 2019 as part of Turkey's Operation Peace Spring. It was launched to secure Turkey's borders by eliminating the terror group from northern Syria, east of the Euphrates River, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

The terrorists, however, continue attacks in Ras al-Ayn, and the nearby city of Tal Abyad, despite their withdrawal from the border area following negotiations between the US and Turkey on Oct. 17, 2019.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK's Syrian offshoot.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara​​​​​​​