World

Syrian police officer killed in New Year's Eve blast

By AAP Newswire

Jan 1, 2026

A file photo of Syrian police — A Syrian police officer has been killed after a man detonated an explosive belt on New Year's Eve. -AP

One Syrian police officer has been killed and two others wounded in a suicide bombing in the northern city of Aleppo, Syrian state media reports.

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A patrol of the Internal Security Forces was attempting to detain the bomber in the neighbourhood near the Bab al-Faraj archaeological site when he detonated himself, according to state news agency SANA.

Aleppo governor Azzam al-Gharib said in a statement the police patrol was on duty securing the New Year celebrations in the city on Wednesday when they spotted the bomber and chased after him.

One of the police officers "managed to physically restrain him" when the man detonated an explosive belt, he said.

He said the situation was "under control".

Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba told Syrian state TV the attacker appeared to be trying to enter a Christian neighbourhood containing a number of churches.

Heavy security was in place on Wednesday in Syrian cities out of fear of attacks on New Year's gatherings.

Last week, at least eight people were killed and 18 wounded by explosives planted in an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs.

A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for that attack.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Wednesday's bombing.

With Reuters