Sacrifice/Remembrance Ceremony. AP
Witness: "People smiled and took photos - then it was quiet"
The graduation ceremony at a military academy in Syria's Homs went from joy to chaos in an instant when a powerful explosion occurred on Thursday, writes AFP.
- People smiled and took photos. Suddenly it narrowed. We didn't understand what happened, says 69-year-old Sleimin Assef, who came to see his nephew graduate.
Assaf saw people running around in panic among the bodies before he lost consciousness. When he came to, he found himself in a hospital, surrounded by crying people.
According to the Syrian government, 89 people died in the attack. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) puts the death toll at over 120.
The authorities blame "terrorists with the support of known international actors" for the attack. However, no group has claimed responsibility for it.
At least 80 dead in attack on military academy in Syria
At least 80 people have been killed in a drone attack on a military academy in the city of Homs in western Syria, according to the country's health minister Hassan al-Ghabash, according to several media. A further 240 people are said to be injured.
The attack took place during a graduation ceremony on Thursday. The dead include both military personnel and civilians, including at least six children.
According to Syria's military, rebels "with the support of known international forces" are responsible for the attack. The military responded by shelling rebel-held villages in the northeast. Parts of the area are held by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group, which is controlled by al-Qaeda's former Syrian branch.
- The terrible images we see now make it extra clear that de-escalation is necessary with the goal of achieving a ceasefire in the country, says the UN envoy for Syria, the Norwegian Geir Pedersen, in a statement.
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