Drone attack hits military graduation ceremony in Syria, 80 killed, 240 wounded

Homs, The Gulf Observer: A drone attack has hit a crowded military graduation ceremony in the Syrian city of Homs, killing 80 people and wounding 240, in one of the deadliest recent attacks on the regime army, which has been fighting a civil war for more than a decade.

The strike on Thursday killed civilians, including six children, as well as military personnel, and there were concerns the death toll could rise as many of the wounded were in serious condition, regime Health Minister Hassan al Ghabash said.

Syria’s military said in an earlier statement that drones laden with explosives targeted the ceremony packed with young officers and their families as it was wrapping up.

Without naming any particular group, the military accused insurgents “backed by known international forces” of the attack and said, “it will respond with full force and decisiveness to these terrorist organisations, wherever they exist.”

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack as Syria endures its 13th year of conflict.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres “expressed deep concern” about the drone attack in Homs as well as reports of retaliatory shelling in northwest Syria, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Damascus announced a three-day state of mourning starting on Friday.