The UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights claimed that the attack took place on Tuesday, May 23 in front of the Electricity Emergency Center in the neighbourhood of al-Zahraa, about 160 Km from the capital, Damascus. At this point, it is known that  five people have been killed and almost 30 have been injured. Another blast occurred near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, on the way to the International Airport in Damascus. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported  that police destroyed a car carrying two suicide attackers before they were able to reach a checkpoint near al-Mustaqbal. Both of these attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State through the online platform, Amaq.

The Syrian government, through the provincial governor Talal Barazi, declared on Sunday that about 700 rebels and their families have been removed  from one of the last opposition districts in the city, al-Waer, and that Homs has been brought  under the control of Assad’s forces. This is the first time since the beginning of the conflict in 2011 that this has occurred. These  operations, that have been carried out not only in Homs but also in other cities in Syria, have increased the government’s control over the divided and destroyed country.

To read more, please visit:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/syria-rebels-leave-homs-neighbourhood-170520161004603.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/syria-suicide-car-bombs-hit-homs-city-damascus-suburb-170523085410468.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56664#.WShZeGjyjIU
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-blasts-idUSKBN18J0QQ