ALBAWABA - The police station in the city of Al-Mayadin, which is situated in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, was hit by a strong explosion on Sunday evening, killing at least three security officers and injuring numerous more.
Significant law enforcement officer casualties resulted from the explosion, a Syrian security source told Al Jazeera. The explosion is thought to have been triggered by a vehicle bomb, according to Syrian official news agency SANA, however no organization has yet to claim credit.
First Major Attack Since Assad's Fall
According to Omar Al-Haj, Al Jazeera's reporter in Damascus, this is the first strike of this sort in Al-Mayadin since Bashar al-Assad's administration collapsed. Additionally, he referenced unverified allegations that suggested indirect fire may have been fired at the city's jail during or soon after the explosion.
Following Assad's overthrow, newly established local administrations took control of southern Deir ez-Zor, while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the United States, continue to rule the northern portions of the province.
Ties to Ongoing Anti-ISIS Operations
Just one day before to the explosion, Syrian officials conducted what they called a "complex security operation" against Islamic State (ISIS) cells in the northwest Syrian province of Aleppo. An ISIS militant is said to have killed himself and one General Security Forces soldier when he set off an explosive device during the operation.
Although the Al-Mayadin attack and the Aleppo operation have not been directly linked by authorities, the occurrences underscore the mounting security concerns in Syria's post-conflict areas. The bombing is still being investigated.
