AL-BAB, Syria

At least two people were injured when a bomb-laden motorbike exploded in Syria's northern city of Al-Bab, local sources said Thursday.  

The incident occurred in a crowded part of the city, Bahaa Abu al-Kheir, a spokesman for the White Helmets civil-defense agency, told Anadolu Agency.

At least one person was critically injured by the blast, Abu al-Kheir said.  

Although no group has yet claimed responsibility, Free Syrian Army (FSA) officials blamed the YPG/PKK terrorist organization for the attack.  

Al-Bab was largely cleared of terrorist elements in 2016 as part of Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield.  

Last month, five FSA bomb-disposal experts were killed in a car-bombing orchestrated from the YPG/PKK-held city of Manbij.  

Since 2016, Turkey has conducted two major military operations in northwestern Syria -- operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch -- with the aim of purging the region of terrorist groups.