Syrian police officer killed in New Year’s Eve blast

A Syrian police officer was killed and two others were injured in a suicide attack in the northern city of Aleppo, according to reports in Syrian state media.

According to the state news agency SANA, the bomb detonated itself while a patrol of the Internal Security Forces was trying to detain the bomber in the neighborhood near the Bab al-Faraj archaeological site.

Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib said in his statement that the police patrol was on duty to secure the New Year celebrations in the city on Wednesday, and that they detected the bomber and chased him.

He said that when the man detonated the explosive belt, one of the police officers “managed to physically restrain him.”

He said the situation was “under control”.

Nur al-Din al-Baba, spokesman for the Syrian Ministry of Internal Affairs, said in a statement to Syrian state television that the attacker tried to enter the Christian neighborhood where many churches are located.

Intense security measures were taken in Syrian cities on Wednesday due to fear of attacks on New Year’s celebrations.

Last week, explosives planted in an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs killed at least eight people and injured 18 people.

A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s bombing.

via Reuters