DAMASCUS, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the powerful explosion that rocked Syria's northeastern city of Qamishli on Wednesday rose to 52, a pro-government Syrian TV said.

A total of 170 people were also wounded when a booby-trapped truck, driven by a suicide bomber with the Islamic State (IS) group, went off in Qamishli, according to Sama TV.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an explosive-laden truck tore through a security compound for the Kurdish security forces Assayish in Qamishli.

The powerful bombing was followed by a second one in the same area, in what was said to be triggered in a nearby power station by the first one.

The Observatory said the Wednesday blast was the most powerful to hit the city so far.

State news agency SANA said the rescue teams were still removing bodies from under the rubble.

It wasn't the first explosion to hit Qamishli, a predominantly-Kurdish city largely controlled by Kurdish militants.

Qamishli has been the target of repeated bombings by the IS, due to the enmity and clashes between the Kurdish fighters of the U.S.-backed People' Protection Units (YPG) and the IS.

On June 19, three people were killed by a suicide bombing, while five Kurdish security personnel were killed late last April by another blast.

The IS also claimed responsibility for the Wednesday explosion.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, saying the terrorist groups aim to thwart all efforts aiming at bringing the bloodletting in Syria to an end.