At least 10 people killed and many more wounded after two vehicles exploded in northern Syrian border town.

At least 10 civilians have been killed and about 15 others wounded in a car bomb attack in the northern Syrian border town of al-Bab, according to the Turkish defence ministry.

In a Twitter post, the ministry said Saturday’s attack on a bus terminal also wounded more than 15 others. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency gave a higher toll of at least 18 dead and 30 wounded, saying several cars and buildings were damaged in the attack, which involved two bomb-laden vehicles.

Since 2016, Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies have mounted three separate military operations in northern Syria against “terrorist elements”, seizing control of the border area, including al-Bab.

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There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Turkish defence ministry said on Twitter that “inhumane and uncivilised PKK/YPG terrorists continue to target innocent civilians”.

Ankara considers the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), a group forming the backbone of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long armed campaign against the Turkish state for autonomy.

The PKK is designated a “terrorist” organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Turkey’s latest push into northern Syria came last month when it launched a military operation aimed at pushing back the YPG-led SDF from the border region east of the Euphrates River and establish a “safe zone” stretching at least 30km (19 miles) into Syria to resettle some of the 3.6 million refugees it hosts.

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