Syria: 10 killed after bomb-laden car detonates in Raqqa

At least 10 people were killed and 20 others sustained injuries after an explosion-laden car detonated in Syria's northern city of Raqqa on Saturday.

The incident occurred at a command centre of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The blast claimed lives of five SDF commanders, reports Xinhua.

The incident was preceded by an explosion in a landmine located in Basel Street in the central part of the city.

Further details into both the developments are awaited.

Raqqa used to be a stronghold of Islamic State (IS) until 2017. According to a report by Sputnik, the city fell into the hands of the Syrian opposition forces in 2013 and was then captured by the IS group, that proclaimed the city as its de facto capital.

In 2016, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the US-led coalition launched a campaign to win the city back from the terrorists.

The operation culminated in the 2017 Battle of Raqqa, which eventually allowed the SDF to gain control over the city.

A recent 18-month long investigation conducted by Amnesty International, in partnership with Airwars, revealed that more than 1600 civilians lost their lives as a direct result of air strikes and artillery strikes under the operation.