Syrian state TV reports of three powerful explosions in downtown Aleppo, the financial hub and largest city of the country. Reportedly the blasts were caused by car bombs that terrorists delivered to the city’s main square.

Later, terrorists struck again, blowing up a fourth car, this time near a municipal palace in Baba Amr quarter, reports Lebanese Al-Manar TV station.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that activists on the ground report 40 fatalities and 72 injured in the terror act, most of them military servicemen.

The Saadallah al-Jabri square in central Aleppo where the first three explosions took place is currently controlled by government forces.

Most of the victims of the blasts are civilians. Luckily enough, the three cars on Saadallah al-Jabri square went off early in the morning when the municipal buildings were empty. The House of Officers has reportedly been completely destroyed. Rescuers continue to clear up the debris and the number of victims may grow.

Terror acts like this are not common in Aleppo. The first one happened in February, when two suicide car bombers attacked security compounds in Aleppo’s industrial center killing 28 people. Since then, there have only been two similar attacks.

Screenshot from YouTube user Alikhbaria Syria

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Screenshot from YouTube user Alikhbaria Syria

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Screenshot from YouTube user Alikhbaria Syria

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Screenshot from YouTube user Alikhbaria Syria

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Screenshot from YouTube user Alikhbaria Syria