Syria
More than 20 killed in IS attack in Homs
Prior to the scheduled Start of the Syria peace talks in Geneva, the violence in the Bürgerkriegsland continue unabated. Last but not least, in the former rebel stronghold city of Homs is the Horror remained.
In a suicide bombing in the Syrian city of Homs, according to the state media, more than 20 people have been killed. As the Syrian state television reported, attacked two assassins, a check post of the army. Here are at least 22 people were killed and hundreds more have been injured.
The assassin drove, according to Governor Talal Barasi with a car to the checkpoint. One of the men had with the car blew up in the air, then have the second assassin an explosive belt detonated.
More than 100 injured
The oppositionsnahe Syrian Observatory for human rights said even in the attack were at least 29 people have been killed, including 15 soldiers. Also one of the assassin have a Armeeuniform worn, said the organization based in the United Kingdom, the your information from the Doctors and most Active on-site refers to. The human rights activists, according to were at the bloody deed, more than 100 people injured. The number of dead could be due to the many badly injured to rise.
In a first, not verifiable message known to the Terrormiliz “Islamic state” (IS) to the act. The explosions occurred in Al-Sahraa, especially from the religious minority, the Alawite-inhabited district. To this belongs also the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. To similar attacks in Al-Sahraa had in the past, in addition to the IS also the Al-Nusra Front, the Syrian offshoot of Al-Qaeda, known. Until the end of December were several simultaneous bomb blasts in the district of 19 people have been killed.
Until the end of January, the rebels of Homs to leave
Homs was one of the first cities in the spring of 2011 against the rule of Assad revolt had, and was long a stronghold of the rebels. After years of siege and fierce Fighting is now but back almost completely under the control of the army. In the course of a plea deal with the government to leave the rebels currently also as the district of Waer, the last district still controlled by you. Until the end of January, all the rebels of Homs have left.
Invitations to Geneva talks sent
On Friday, the long-awaited peace talks for the country to start. The goal is to have a diplomatic solution to the nearly five years of ongoing civil war in Syria. The UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura sent now the letter of invitation to Syria’s government and Opposition. To which groups the invitations specifically went, shared the United Nations. One of the biggest points of contention around the Meeting is the question of who participate in. The Syrian Opposition wants to continue this Tuesday at a Meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh to decide whether to Geneva.
Russia reaffirms support for Kurdenvertreter
Was disputed, in particular, the involvement of radical Islamic groups. A conflict, there is also a participation of the Kurdish party PYD, the Syrian offshoot of the banned Kurdistan workers ‘ party PKK. Russia reiterated its demand that the Syrian Kurds in talks to participate. “This group is not invite, would be the biggest mistake,” said foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. The Kurds accounted for around 15 percent of the Syrian population, he said. Therefore could without it no satisfactory result in the negotiations to come out.
In the South of Syria showed the Russian air support for the Regimetruppen meanwhile effect: The fighters retook the strategically important town of Sheikh Maskin, after fierce fighting, the rebels back. In the past few days were the Pro-governmental units, especially successes close to the heartland of the regime in the Northwest of the country.
sti/kle (afp, dpa, ape)