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2023 Homs drone strike

Coordinates: 34°45′8.89″N 36°41′14.86″E / 34.7524694°N 36.6874611°E / 34.7524694; 36.6874611
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34°45′8.89″N 36°41′14.86″E / 34.7524694°N 36.6874611°E / 34.7524694; 36.6874611

2023 Homs drone strike
Part of the Syrian civil war
LocationHoms, Syria
Date5 October 2023
~14:00 (UTC+03:00)
TargetSyrian military graduation ceremony
Attack type
Drone strike
Deaths112+[1]
Injured~277+[2][1]
PerpetratorsUnknown

On 5 October 2023, a Syrian military graduation ceremony at the Homs Military Academy was targeted by a drone strike, killing at least 112+ people and injuring 277+ others.[2][1] The attack followed increased clashes in the 'De-escalation Zone' located in northwestern Syria. The perpetrator of the attack is currently unknown.[3][4][5][6][7]

Attack

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The incident occurred just after the afternoon graduation ceremony had ended. The Syrian Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Health reported 89 casualties including mostly graduate soldiers in addition to 31 women and 5 children.[2][1][8][9][a] The drones were believed to have originated in rebel-held territories north-west of Homs.[11]

Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas was in attendance at the graduation ceremony but left before the attack.[12] He later visited the Abdul-Qader Shaqfa Military Hospital where several of the casualties were brought.[13]

Aftermath

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The Syrian Defence Ministry vowed to respond to the attacks “with full force”.[14] Retaliation was set in motion on the same day, in which the Syrian military carried out rocket and artillery strikes on the opposition-controlled zone of Idlib Governorate, killing at least 24 civilians and injuring 37 others.[15][16] It also shelled rebel-held areas of Idlib and Aleppo Governorates.[17][18] Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes hit regions in northwestern Hama Governorate.[19]

The areas targeted were controlled by different factions including Ansar al-Tawhid, Hurras al-Din, Tahrir al-Sham and Turkistan Islamic Party.[20]

Reactions

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The Syrian government announced three days of mourning starting on 6 October.[2] The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on the academy as a "cowardly terrorist attack" perpetrated by U.S.-backed "terrorist groups" to destabilize the situation in Syria.[21]

The Arab League,[22] released a statement condemning the attack. Argentina,[23] Algeria,[24] Armenia,[25] Belarus,[26] Brazil,[27] Egypt,[28] India, Iran,[29] Iraq,[30] Jordan,[31] Lebanon,[32] North Korea,[33] Oman,[34] Palestine,[35] Romania,[36] Russia,[37] Sudan,[38] the United Arab Emirates[39] and Venezuela[40] expressed their condolences to the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA.[41]

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was "deeply concerned" about developments in Syria, according to his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.[42] Geir Pedersen, the United Nations' special envoy to Syria, called the attack "horrific" and called on all parties to the conflict to "exercise the utmost restraint".[11] The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, also offered his condolences to President Bashar al-Assad.[43]

Notes

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  1. ^ According to SOHR, the drone strike resulted in the deaths of 123 people, including 54 civilians, among whom were 39 women and children.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Funeral ceremony of martyrs of the terrorist attack on Military academy begins with popular and official attendance". SANA. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Drone attack kills 80 and wounds 240 at a packed Syrian military graduation ceremony, official says". Associated Press. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  3. ^ "More than 60 dead in drone attack on military academy in Syria's Homs -war monitor, security source". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  4. ^ "Drone attack on Syria military academy leaves at least 60 dead". France24. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  5. ^ "Drone attack on Syria military college leaves dozens of casualties". CNN. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  6. ^ "More than 60 dead from drone strike on Syrian military college - report". i24 News. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  7. ^ "De-ath toll of "War College in Homs" | Nearly 130 combatants and civilians kil-led". SOHR. 8 October 2023.
  8. ^ Gritten, David (2023-10-06). "Syria war: At least 100 dead in drone attack on cadet graduation ceremony". BBC.
  9. ^ "Health Ministry: number of martyrs from the terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs rises to 89". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Latest development | 54 civilians and 62 recently-graduated officers among 123 persons killed in unknown explosion in Homs military school". SOHR. 6 October 2023.
  11. ^ a b Gritten, David (2023-10-06). "Syria war: Dozens killed in drone attack on graduation ceremony". BBC.
  12. ^ "At least 100 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy". Reuters. 5 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Funerals held in Syria for dozens of victims killed in deadliest attack in years". Associated Press. 6 October 2023.
  14. ^ "At least 100 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy". Reuters. 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  15. ^ "استشهاد وإصابة 12 مدني بقصف لقوات النظام على ريفي حلب وإدلب ضمن مناطق "الهيئة".. وارتفاع عدد الشهداء في أقل من 24 ساعة إلى 15 مدني". SOHR. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  16. ^ "In intense missile bombardment by regime forces, 6 civilians were martyred and injured in Idlib and its countryside". 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Syria mourns dozens of people killed in Homs drone attack". Aljazeera. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  18. ^ "In bombing by regime forces, 5 people were martyred, including children, in Termanin in the northern countryside of Idlib". SOHR. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Child among 3 killed, 30 injured in attacks by Russian, Syrian regime forces in northwestern Syria". Anadolu Ajansı. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  20. ^ "بعد الهجوم الارهابي على الكلية الحربية في حمص.. الجيش السوري يستهدف مواقع المسلحين في ريفي حماة وإدلب.. والخارجية السورية تطالب الأمم المتحدة بمساءلة "رعاة الإرهاب"". raialyoum.com (in Arabic). 5 October 2023.
  21. ^ m.eyon (2023-10-05). "Syria condemns the cowardly terrorist attack that targeted Military Academy graduation ceremony- Foreign Ministry". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  22. ^ "Arab League strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  23. ^ "Argentina condemns terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". 8 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Algeria condemns the terrorist attack on Military College, affirms its full solidarity with Syria". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  25. ^ "Armenia expresses deep condolences on victims of Military Academy's terrorist attack". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  26. ^ "President al-Assad receives a cable of condolence from Belarusian President on martyrs of the terrorist attack in Homs". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  27. ^ "Brazil expresses condolences to Syria for terrorist attack". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  28. ^ "Egypt expresses condolences to Syria for victims of terrorist attack on Military Academy". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  29. ^ "Iran strongly condemns Syria terrorist attack". Mehr News Agency. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  30. ^ "Iraq condemns Homs attack, extends condolences to Syria". Shafaq News.
  31. ^ "Jordan condemns the terrorist attack on the Military College in Homs". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  32. ^ "Lebanese Foreign Ministry denounces the terrorist attack on Homs Military Academy". 6 October 2023.
  33. ^ "North Korea condemns attack in Syria". Reuters. 8 October 2023.
  34. ^ "جريدة عمان | سلطنة عُمان تُعزّي سوريا في ضحايا هجوم الكلية الحربية في مدينة حمص" (in Arabic). nabd.com. 5 October 2023.
  35. ^ "الرئيس عباس يعزي الرئيس السوري بضحايا هجوم حمص" (in Arabic). sadanews.ps. 6 October 2023.
  36. ^ "Romania offers condolences on victims of Military Academy's terrorist attack". 7 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Condolences to President of Syria Bashar al-Assad". 6 October 2023.
  38. ^ "Sudan condemns the terrorist attack on the Military Academy in Homs". 6 October 2023.
  39. ^ "UAE condemns terrorist attack that targeted military college in Syria". wam. May 10, 2023.
  40. ^ "Venezuela strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  41. ^ "Roundup: Drone attack on Syrian military academy kills over 80-Xinhua". english.news.cn.
  42. ^ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General". United Nations. 5 October 2023.
  43. ^ "Berri cables condolences to Assad". National News Agency. 6 October 2023.
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