These dramatic pictures purportedly show the detonation of more than 60 tonnes of explosives under an army base in Syria. According to a member of the insurgent Islamic Front, who detonated the explosives, the operation required rebels to dig an 850-metre tunnel beneath the buildings of the Wadi al-Deif base, which for the past three months had been steadfastly defended by loyalists to the Assad regime.
Provided to Reuters by the rebel commander, the video from which the pictures were taken shows a huge explosion in the hillside, with debris thrown hundreds of metres in the air. The number of casualties is as yet unknown. Speaking to Reuters, the rebel commander said: "Another attack like this and we won't even need to move in to take the base," adding that the base was the last remaining stronghold between the rebels controlling the entire region of south Idlib, close to Turkey.