Twin car bomb explosions in the central Syrian city of Homs on Wednesday killed at least 18 people, mostly children, and wounded 56 others.
The explosions took place as children were leaving school at the end of classes on Wednesday
The opposition UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the same toll in the double bombing in the Akrameh neighborhood of Homs.
The group said the toll could rise as body parts were still being collected from the scene and several of the wounded were in serious condition, AFP reported.
“Two terrorist explosions near the Akrameh al-Makhzumi school and the Zaim hospital caused deaths and injuries,” SANA said.
A source in the province of Homs told SANA that terrorists detonated a car bomb in front of the new Akrameh school. Few minutes later, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Akrameh al-Makhzumi school in order to cause the largest number of casualties among civilians.
The source elaborated that the Mazda booby-trapped car was containing 3 gas cylinders, each has 7-kilogram of C4 highly explosive material.
It was the deadliest strike to hit the government-controlled area in months.
The district has been targeted more than once before, including on June 19, when at least six people were killed in a car bomb attack.
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