On Thursday, a tragic incident occurred in Syria where over 60 individuals lost their lives in an attack on a military academy. According to reports from a security source, weaponized drones targeted the site shortly after Syria’s defense minister departed from a graduation ceremony held there.
The attack, which took place in the central province of Homs, resulted in casualties among both civilians and military personnel, as stated by Syria’s defense ministry. The ministry attributed the attack to “terrorist” groups using drones but did not specify any particular organization. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault.
During the graduation ceremony, Syria’s defense minister was present but left just minutes before the attack, according to sources within Syria’s security apparatus and a source from the regional alliance supporting the Damascus government against opposition factions.
A witness who assisted in setting up decorations for the academy’s event described the harrowing scene: “After the ceremony, people went down to the courtyard and the explosives hit. We don’t know where it came from, and corpses littered the ground.”
Disturbing footage shared via WhatsApp showed individuals, some in military attire and others in civilian clothing, lying in pools of blood within a large courtyard. Amidst the chaos, some of the victims were still on fire and cries for help and calls to extinguish the flames could be heard, with gunfire in the background.
While the Observatory reported a death toll of at least 78 people and over 140 wounded, the source from the alliance supporting Syria’s government stated that the toll stood at 66.
Syrian Conflict
The conflict in Syria, which initially began with protests against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, has evolved into a protracted and devastating war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of fatalities and millions of displaced individuals. The ongoing conflict has severely affected the Syrian army, leading it to heavily rely on military assistance from Russia, Iran, and fighters backed by Tehran from countries like Lebanon and Iraq.
Although Assad’s forces have regained control over most of the country, a portion of the northern region bordering Turkey remains under the control of various armed opposition groups, including extremist jihadist factions.
