Double Blast Leaves Reportedly 9 Dead, 28 Injured in Northwestern Syria

ANTAKYA (Sputnik) - Nine people were killed and 28 others injured as two car bombs exploded in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, Yasser Zaim, the spokesman of the municipal council of the nearby Azaz city, told Sputnik on Saturday.

"The number of those killed as a result of the blast of the car bomb near the central hospital in the Idlib province reached nine civilians, including three hospital security employees,"

Nine individuals went missing after the incident, Zaim also said.Some of those wounded were taken to the Turkish hospitals, the official added.

Idlib is one of four de-escalation zones created after relevant agreements were reached by Iran, Russia, and Turkey during the Astana reconciliation talks last year.

Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and terrorist groups. The international community has taken a number of steps aimed at settling the crisis, including through negotiations in Geneva and Astana, as well as the Syrian National Dialogue Congress which took place in the Russian city of Sochi in January.