Activists: Car bomb kills 9 in Syrian town of Atmeh

At least nine people were killed in a car bomb attack Sunday near a field hospital in the opposition-held Syrian town of Atmeh, close to the border with Turkey, activists said. The hospital is the only one for miles around, and has been crucial in treating civilians injured in the long-running Syrian conflict.

The hospital is owned by Ghassan Aboud, a Gulf-based businessman who runs Orient Television, which said at least 10 people were killed.

Parts of Orient hospital collapsed, and surrounding homes and cars were also affected by the bomb.

"There are 50 casualties and they are being transported to Bab al-Hawa (crossing), and to another hospital in Atmeh," said witness Abdallah Saleh. The hospital was damaged, he said.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but it aroused suspicions of possible involvement by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) – an armed opposition group disavowed by al-Qaeda.

Syria is in the throes of civil war, and Atmeh is in territory held by opposition groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

ISIL had a strong hold in Atmeh and used it as a key point for receiving foreign fighters and hosting them until they were sent elsewhere in the country. The group was kicked out of Atmeh after fighting erupted with other opposition groups in January.

The revolt against Assad broke out in March 2011, after protesters began calling for more rights. It turned to a militarized uprising under a heavy crackdown by Assad's security forces.

Since then, foreign fighters – including al-Qaeda-linked groups – have traveled to Syria to try to overthrow Assad. The al-Qaeda-linked groups often fight anti-Assad rebels as well.

Al Jazeera and wire services