Thirteen Killed In Syrian Car Bomb Blast

Library image of Tal Abyad (Picture: PA).

Thirteen people have been killed after a car bomb blast in Syria.

It happened in Tal Abyad, close to the border with Turkey.

Around 20 other people were injured, the Turkish defence ministry said.

The town was captured last month by Turkey-backed opposition gunmen from Kurdish-led fighters.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but the Turkish defence ministry is blaming the Kurdish YPG militia.

It comes after Turkey and Russia launched their first joint patrol in the north-east of Syria.

It is part of a deal designed to stop Turkey's offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters in the northern border region.

Earlier on Saturday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Christian fighters will be responsible for security in villages close to the town of Tal Tamr in the Khabur river.

The area had seen conflict between Turkey-backed troops and Kurdish-led militiamen.