DAMASCUS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A powerful explosion hit Syria's northern city of Afrin on Thursday following a military parade by Turkey-backed rebels in the city, a war monitor reported.
The explosion occurred as a car bomb was detonated near a hospital in the Vellat Street, causing many injuries, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Some of the injured are in critical conditions, the London-based watchdog said.
During the parade, the Turkish slogans and banners were used by the rebels who are in control of Afrin.
Afrin had been controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and its allied militia groups.
Last year, Turkey spearheaded an operation to dislodge the YPG from Afrin with the help of its allied rebels.
Multiple explosions have rocked the city since it fell to the Turkey-backed rebels.
Around 350,000 people were displaced from Afrin when the Turkey-backed rebels took over the city.
Kurdish militia groups including the YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) repeatedly said they would retake Afrin from Turkey-backed rebels.
