Explosion near Damascus airport clarified as controlled detonation

The explosion at a former military base near Damascus International Airport on Wednesday was the result of a controlled detonation of wartime ordnance, the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said, reported Xinhua.

The authority explained that the blast originated from the disposal of old munitions more than 20 km from the airport perimeter. It stressed that airport operations were unaffected and flights continued as scheduled.

The loud explosion briefly raised concern and fueled speculation of an attack. Opposition outlet Sham TV quoted witnesses claiming an Israeli drone strike, while the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported plumes of smoke from a nearby military site but said the cause was unclear.

No casualties have been reported.