Double bombing kills 4 in Syria’s Homs

At least four people were killed and 17 wounded in a double bomb blast in Syria’s central city of Homs on Tuesday, the provincial governor told AFP.

Governor Talal Barazi said the blasts were caused by motorbikes rigged with explosives in the Wadi Dahab and Al-Zahra neighbourhoods of the city.

He said four people were killed and 17 wounded in the two districts which are both predominantly Alawite — the sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs.

“The attacks are intended to disrupt security and stability in Homs,” Barazi said, accusing the perpetrators of wanting “to target the city at all costs”.

Barazi said motorbikes rigged with explosives had been used in a bid to “evade checkpoints” set up in the city to defend it from would-be attackers.

Both Wadi Dahab and Al-Zahra have been targeted in previous bombings, along with several other Alawite-majority districts of Homs.

The city was around 25 percent Alawite before the conflict began in March 2011, with most of the community living in its southern and southeastern neighbourhoods.

All but one district of Homs are under government control after rebels withdrew from the area following a punishing regime siege.

More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests before spiralling into a war after a regime crackdown.