Syria: A drone attack on a military academy during a graduation ceremony on Thursday killed at least 100 people in Syria’s central Homs, one of the bloodiest attacks ever against a Syrian army installation, reported BBC. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least nine of the dead were civilians, Reuters reported citing a war monitor. The human rights body said more than 100 people were killed and nearly 125 were injured, as per Al Jazeera. According to Reuters, the Syrian defence ministry has blamed “terrorists” but did not give more details. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Syria’s military said drones laden with explosives targeted the ceremony on Thursday just after it ended. In a statement, as per Al Jazeera, the military accused fighters “backed by known international forces” for the deadly attack.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghabash gave a lower figure of 80 to state television, the report added. He further said that six children were among the dead, but that about 240 people had been injured. Reports mentioned that the death toll could rise further as many of the wounded were in serious condition.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has “expressed deep concern” at the drone attack in Homs as well as “reports of retaliatory shelling” in northwest Syria, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
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