The local authorities clarified that the incident took place in the military unit located in the village of Hraisoun in Jableh township, Latakia governorate.

They indicated that several houses near the site were evacuated, while damage to crops and agricultural land in the area was reported.

The incident generated dense clouds of smoke as helicopters took off from the nearby Russian air base at Hemeimen to comb the area.

Early this month, heavy explosions rocked an air defence base in eastern Hama province, about 250 kilometres north of Damascus, the Syrian capital.

The incident led to explosions in missile depots and killed at least four people and undetermined number of injuries. abo/mem/fm