2023 Homs drone strike

2023 Homs drone strike
Part of the Syrian civil war
LocationHoms, Syria
Date5 October 2023
TargetSyrian military graduation ceremony
Attack type
Drone strike
Deaths89[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, leaving at least 89 people dead and more than 277 others injured.[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[edit]

The incident occurred just after the afternoon graduation ceremony had ended. The Syrian Ministry of Defense reported 89 graduate soldiers and six children killed.[2][1][8] The drones were believed to have originated in rebel-held territories north-west of Homs.[9]

Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas was in attendance at the graduation ceremony but left before the attack.[10] He later visited the Abdul-Qader Shaqfa Military Hospital where several of the casualties were brought.[11]

Aftermath[edit]

The Syrian Defence Ministry vowed to respond to the attacks “with full force”.[12] 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.[13][14] It also shelled rebel-held areas of Idlib and Aleppo Governorates.[15][16] Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes hit regions in northwestern Hama Governorate.[17]

The areas targeted were controlled by different factions including Ansar al-Tawhid, Hurras al-Din, Tahrir al-Sham and Turkistan Islamic Party.[18]

Reactions[edit]

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.[19]

The Arab League,[20] released a statement condemning the attack. Argentina,[21] Algeria,[22] Armenia,[23] Belarus,[24] Brazil,[25] Egypt,[26] India, Iran,[27] Iraq,[28] Jordan,[29] Lebanon,[30] North Korea,[31] Oman,[32] Palestine,[33] Romania,[34] Russia,[35] Sudan,[36] the United Arab Emirates[37] and Venezuela[38] expressed their condolences to the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA.[39]

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was "deeply concerned" about developments in Syria, according to his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.[40] 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".[9] The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, also offered his condolences to President Bashar al-Assad.[41]

References[edit]

  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. ^ a b Gritten, David (2023-10-06). "Syria war: Dozens killed in drone attack on graduation ceremony". BBC.
  10. ^ "At least 100 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy". Reuters. 5 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Funerals held in Syria for dozens of victims killed in deadliest attack in years". Associated Press. 6 October 2023.
  12. ^ "At least 100 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy". Reuters. 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Syria mourns dozens of people killed in Homs drone attack". Aljazeera. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "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.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ "Arab League strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  21. ^ "Argentina condemns terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". 8 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Algeria condemns the terrorist attack on Military College, affirms its full solidarity with Syria". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  23. ^ "Armenia expresses deep condolences on victims of Military Academy's terrorist attack". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  24. ^ "President al-Assad receives a cable of condolence from Belarusian President on martyrs of the terrorist attack in Homs". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Brazil expresses condolences to Syria for terrorist attack". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  26. ^ "Egypt expresses condolences to Syria for victims of terrorist attack on Military Academy". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  27. ^ "Iran strongly condemns Syria terrorist attack". Mehr News Agency. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  28. ^ "Iraq condemns Homs attack, extends condolences to Syria". Shafaq News.
  29. ^ "Jordan condemns the terrorist attack on the Military College in Homs". SANA. October 6, 2023.
  30. ^ "Lebanese Foreign Ministry denounces the terrorist attack on Homs Military Academy". 6 October 2023.
  31. ^ "North Korea condemns attack in Syria". Reuters. 8 October 2023.
  32. ^ "جريدة عمان | سلطنة عُمان تُعزّي سوريا في ضحايا هجوم الكلية الحربية في مدينة حمص" (in Arabic). nabd.com. 5 October 2023.
  33. ^ "الرئيس عباس يعزي الرئيس السوري بضحايا هجوم حمص" (in Arabic). sadanews.ps. 6 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Romania offers condolences on victims of Military Academy's terrorist attack". 7 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Condolences to President of Syria Bashar al-Assad". 6 October 2023.
  36. ^ "Sudan condemns the terrorist attack on the Military Academy in Homs". 6 October 2023.
  37. ^ "UAE condemns terrorist attack that targeted military college in Syria". wam. May 10, 2023.
  38. ^ "Venezuela strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Military Academy in Homs". SANA. 6 October 2023.
  39. ^ "Roundup: Drone attack on Syrian military academy kills over 80-Xinhua". english.news.cn.
  40. ^ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General". United Nations. 5 October 2023.
  41. ^ "Berri cables condolences to Assad". National News Agency. 6 October 2023.

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