Massive fire erupts near Syria's Aleppo airport

By Laith Al-jnaidi and Rania Abu Shamala

DAMASCUS /ISTANBUL (AA) - A massive fire broke out on Saturday in vehicles carrying petroleum products near Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria, just as authorities announced the facility’s reopening.

The Syrian Civil Defense reported on X that its teams were working to contain the fire, which erupted in fuel transport vehicles near a gas station along the Aleppo International Airport road.

A video posted by Civil Defense personnel described the fire as “major,” but the cause remained unknown as of 2000 GMT.

The incident comes shortly after Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that Aleppo International Airport will resume operations next Tuesday, following a three-month closure.

The airport was shut down in late November 2024 after opposition forces seized control, prompting the Assad regime to suspend flights amid intensifying conflict.

The closure was part of the broader collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, culminating in his flight to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long grip on power.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led opposition forces in ousting Assad, was declared Syria’s president on Jan. 29.