40 armed men killed in blast in Syria’s Aleppo

DAMASCUS, Dec. 17 — At least 40 armed men were killed Monday in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo when their booby-trapped car went off, the state-run SANA news agency said.

The blast took place at Bustan al-Qaser area in Aleppo, said SANA, adding that the “terrorists” were killed when they were rigging their car with explosives.

Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and economic powerhouse, has been plagued by violent clashes for months, as the armed rebels have vowed to keep fighting in the city to bring it down in order to announce their “capital” there.

Earlier Monday, local media said three people were killed in Bustan al-Bashar area of Aleppo by an explosion that targeted the vicinity of a police station.

Blasts have become increasingly common recently in Syria, coupled with incessant military showdown across the country. The Syrian government accuses al-Qaida of carrying out such blasts.