Explosions at Syrian weapons depots injure four, raise safety concerns

A series of explosions ripped through Syrian weapons depots this month, injuring at least four people in the early hours of Monday at an arms store in al‑Eis, south of Aleppo. The blasts follow a spate of similar incidents, including a Friday explosion in Ayyash that killed 11 soldiers, a September 9 blast in Sarmada that claimed 14 defence‑ministry staff, and a vehicle‑carrying‑ammunition explosion in Binnish on September 1 that killed five civilians. Reuters has counted at least 16 such detonations since the fall of long‑time President Bashar al‑Assad in December 2024.

The explosions come as Syria’s armed forces scramble to rebuild after more than a decade of war and the sudden collapse of the al‑Assad regime. The military is merging weapons from the former regime, the US‑backed Syrian Democratic Forces and various opposition groups into a single structure. That rapid consolidation has stretched a storage system already weakened by years of conflict and international isolation. Analysts say the lack of professional infrastructure and the hurried relocation of munitions to protect them from possible Israeli airstrikes have created unsafe conditions.

The Syrian Defence Ministry says it is investigating each blast to prevent further loss. Some experts attribute the incidents to poor storage practices, while others warn of possible foreign sabotage, though no hard evidence has emerged. Atlantic Council senior fellow Omer Ozkizilcik told Al Jazeera that the army is “still in a transitional phase” and has not yet become a professional force. He noted that the surge in aid and the need to guard stockpiles have forced the military to keep weapons in inadequate sites, increasing the risk of accidental detonations. Ozkizilcik added that similar explosions occurred under the previous regime and that the loss of stockpiles is unlikely to cripple Syria’s fighting capability, as the munitions can be replenished.

What happens next will test Damascus’s ability to secure its arsenals while it seeks to stabilise a fragmented country. The ministry’s inquiry may reveal systemic flaws that need urgent fixing. If the pattern continues, it could fuel speculation about external meddling and undermine confidence in the new army’s readiness. For now, the explosions highlight the fragile state of Syria’s military logistics as it navigates a precarious post‑Assad transition.