Tamil Diplomat

Syria: Twin attacks on Homs security bases kill dozens

Gunmen and suicide bombers have attacked security bases in Homes, western Syria, killing at least 32. State TV said the local head of military intelligence was among the dead and some reports say more than 40 died. Jihadist group Tahrir al-Sham said it carried out the attacks. Homes has been under government control since December 2015 when rebels left under a ceasefire deal.

Syria’s government said the attacks would not go unanswered. Its UN Ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari, who leads the government delegation at peace talks in Geneva, said they were a message to the talks from “the sponsors of terrorism”. He demanded that all opposition groups present denounce the violence, saying direct talks could only be held with a unified opposition. Syria’s main opposition camp later said that it condemned “all terrorist operations committed by terrorist groups”(BBC,2017).