Bomb kills 20 at Kurdish wedding in Syria – reports

A Kurdish wedding hall in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka was a scene of destruction on Tuesday (October 4) a day after a bomb killed at least 20 people there, a Kurdish militia and a monitoring group said.

Syrian state media said at least 30 were killed and 90 wounded in the blast.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 22 died in the blast, adding that many of the wounded were in a critical condition. Among those killed were the groom and a leading Kurdish party figure, the Observatory said.

Scores of wounded were rushed to the city’s hospitals, which appealed for blood donations, it said.

The Kurdish YPG, or People’s Protection Units, said in a statement at least 20 people were killed and dozens injured, adding it was not clear whether the blast was caused by a explosive device or a suicide bomber.

A statement by Amaq news agency, which is close to Islamic State militants, said a suicide bomber had attacked a gathering of Kurdish YPG fighters on the edge of the city with machine-guns and an explosive vest. They did not give further details.

Hasaka is mainly in the hands of the YPG militia after it evicted the Syrian army in August.