Ramallah: The Syrian Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that an explosion on Friday at an army site in the Ayyash area, located west of Deir ez-Zor province in northern Syria, resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the soldiers' procession began at the National Hospital in Deir ez-Zor city. However, the authorities have yet to reveal the cause or circumstances surrounding the explosion.

The ministry's Media and Communications Department had previously confirmed on Friday that an explosion had taken place at one of the army's sites in the Ayyash area. They stated that investigations into the causes were underway and that an assessment of the consequences was being conducted, although they did not provide any casualty figures at that time.

State-run Alikhbariah TV reported on Friday that ambulances and civil defense teams were dispatched to the site following the explosion. The exact nature of the explosion was not immediately determined.

The announcement on Saturday marked the first official casualty toll released since the incident occurred.