A Syrian freight train carrying phosphate derailed and caught fire in central Syria on July 21 after it was hit by explosives planted on the tracks by militants, according to an Associated Press News (AP) report citing the country’s Transport Ministry.
The government-owned train was transporting phosphate from mines in Khunayfis in Homs province, and early reports suggest there were no casualties. The ministry said work to repair the railway and restore traffic is underway.
Russian energy company, Stroytransgaz, has operated Syria’s Khunayfis and Sharqiya phosphate mines, located south of Palmyra, since early 2018 under a 50-year contract agreed with the Syrian government in 2017. Under the contract, the Russian company is entitled to 70 percent of the revenue. Since March this year, the Russian company also has been in charge of the country’s fertilizer production complex at Homs.