A devastating Car Bomb attack in northern Syria has resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 20 individuals, predominantly women, according to Syrian authorities. The incident underscores the volatile security situation in the region and the continued threat of explosive violence against civilians.
The Syria Civil Defence, widely recognized as the White Helmets, reported that the deadly explosion occurred on a bustling main road near the southern periphery of Manbij. The car bomb detonated as a flat-bed truck, carrying approximately 30 agricultural laborers, passed by. Initial reports from the White Helmets indicated a death toll of 15, including 11 women and three young girls. Tragically, this figure was later revised upwards to 20 as more information became available, with an additional 15 women and girls sustaining injuries, some critically.
Syria Civil Defence personnel, known as the White Helmets, examine the wreckage of a van destroyed by a car bomb in Manbij, northern Syria, on February 3, 2025.
The Syrian presidency issued a strong condemnation of the attack, branding it as a “terrorist” act and pledging to bring those responsible to justice, promising “the most severe punishments”. However, as of now, no armed group has claimed responsibility for this heinous car bomb attack, which marks the deadliest such incident since the change of government in Syria.
Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed, Kurdish-led alliance that exerts control over significant portions of north-eastern Syria, also denounced the bombing. He labeled it a “criminal act” that jeopardizes the “unity of the national fabric” of Syria. Prior to this official condemnation, a media representative for the SDF pointed fingers towards Turkish-backed factions within the Syrian National Army (SNA), suggesting that car bombings are a “fundamental tactic” employed by these groups. The SDF and SNA have been engaged in ongoing clashes in the Manbij area for the past couple of months.
The SNA has not yet released any statement regarding these allegations. Conversely, the Turkey-based Syrian Islamic Council has accused the SDF of orchestrating the blast. This car bombing is the second such incident in the Manbij region within a mere three days. On the preceding Saturday, another explosion in Manbij city center claimed the lives of four individuals, including two children and a woman, according to the Syria Civil Defence. Reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated that this earlier blast occurred near an SNA military position and resulted in nine fatalities, including several pro-Turkish combatants.
The escalating violence, exemplified by these car bomb attacks, occurs against the backdrop of a complex and evolving political and military landscape in Syria. Following shifts in the Syrian regime, the SNA launched offensives to seize territory west of the Euphrates River, areas previously held by the SDF since their successful expulsion of the Islamic State (IS) group in 2016. Manbij itself fell under SNA control on December 9th after the withdrawal of the SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council. However, the SDF has since launched counter-offensives in an attempt to regain control of the territory.
Turkey’s involvement in the region is driven by its desire to push the SDF away from its border. Turkey views the YPG (People’s Protection Units), the dominant Kurdish militia within the SDF alliance, as a terrorist organization due to its links to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which has been engaged in a long-standing struggle for Kurdish autonomy within Turkey.
Amidst this tense environment, discussions are underway between the Syrian transitional government and the SDF regarding the future of the militia alliance. Commander Mazloum Abdi met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus recently, indicating ongoing negotiations facilitated by Western mediators. Abdi has articulated a vision for Syria as a “decentralized, secular and civil country based on democracy” that safeguards the rights of all religious and ethnic groups within the nation. While expressing openness to the SDF becoming integrated into Syria’s defense ministry, he emphasized that the specifics remain subject to negotiation. President Sharaa has previously stated his desire for Syrian Kurdish groups to disarm, emphasizing the need for all weapons to be under state control to prevent further bloodshed and ensure equal treatment for all citizens.
This latest car bomb attack serves as a stark reminder of the persistent dangers facing civilians in Syria and the urgent need for de-escalation and a lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict.
