A devastating drone strike rocked a crowded military graduation ceremony in the Syrian city of Homs, resulting in a tragic loss of life. The health minister of the country confirmed that the attack claimed the lives of 80 people and left another 240 wounded, marking one of the deadliest assaults on the Syrian army in recent years. The casualties included civilians, including six children, as well as military personnel. Concerns persisted that the death toll might mount as many of the wounded were in critical condition, as conveyed by Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash.
The Syrian military revealed that explosive-laden drones had specifically targeted the ceremony, which was attended by young officers and their families as it reached its conclusion. While the military accused insurgents of conducting the attack, claiming they were “backed by known international forces,” they refrained from specifying any particular group. The military vowed to respond vigorously to these terrorist organizations.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, which unfolded amidst Syria’s enduring 13-year-long conflict.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed profound concern about the attack, along with reports of retaliatory shelling in north-west Syria. He called for a comprehensive nationwide ceasefire.
Although the Syrian crisis originated as peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad’s government in 2011, it swiftly escalated into a full-fledged civil war following a brutal government crackdown on protesters. In 2015, Russia, alongside Iran and Hezbollah, provided pivotal military support to the Syrian government, altering the balance of power in its favor.
The war has inflicted immense suffering, with half a million people losing their lives, hundreds of thousands sustaining injuries, and significant portions of the country reduced to rubble. Additionally, it has forced over half of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million into displacement, with more than five million as refugees outside Syria.
Despite certain Arab governments reestablishing ties with the Damascus government, Syria remains deeply divided. A north-western enclave is under the control of al-Qaida-linked militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, along with Turkish-backed opposition fighters. Meanwhile, the north-east is administered by the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
It’s worth noting that Homs, the site of the drone attack, is situated deep within government-held territory, far removed from the customary front lines where government and rebel forces frequently engage in skirmishes.
Following the drone attack, Syrian government forces initiated shelling on villages in Idlib province, located in the rebel-held northwest. In the towns of Al-Nayrab and Sarmin, east of Idlib city, at least 10 civilians sustained injuries, as reported by the opposition-held north-western Syria’s civil defense organization, known as the White Helmets. Additionally, the Syrian army shelled a village in the region earlier on the same day as the drone attack over Homs, resulting in the tragic deaths of a woman and four of her children, according to accounts from activists and emergency responders.
In north-eastern Syria, local authorities reported that Turkish drone attacks struck Hassakeh and Qamishli provinces, targeting oil production facilities, electrical substations, and a dam. A statement issued by local Kurdish authorities confirmed the deaths of six members of their security forces and two civilians.
In a separate incident, three US officials disclosed to the Associated Press that a US F-16 fighter jet had downed a Turkish drone on the same day, as the drone had ventured too close to their positions in Hassakeh after carrying out bombings in nearby areas.
Source: with agencies