Explosion in Homs

Deadly explosion in Homs, Syria reportedly rebel strike

Homs, Syria: Explosion reportedly rebel strike against arms depot, 40 dead, 160 wounded.

UPI,

1 August, 2013

An explosion Thursday in the Syrian city of Homs appears to have been captured on video, and the London-based anti-Assad group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports the blast has killed 40 people and injured 160 more.

Two unverified videos capture the explosion from different vantage points, showing a huge fireball and mushroom cloud. In one video, the explosion is massive, dwarfing all buildings in the area.

Social media users were speculating a rocket attack or other explosion targeted an arms depot in the city.

The Observatory later said it was indeed a rebel rocket strike on a weapons depot. The organization has sources in both the opposition and state security forces, but the source of the explosion was not independently verified.

The blast occurred in the south-eastern district of Wadi al-Dhahab, which the Observatory says the army has taken over. The Observatory said victims are both soldiers and civilians.

Syrian military forces have been fighting for the last month to retake Homs, and on Monday recaptured a key district. Syrian troops have landed several major victories against the opposition in recent months.

On Wednesday, Syria agreed to allow UN investigators to visit three sites where chemical weapons have allegedly been used.

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