An attack Thursday on Homs military college killed more then 100 people, with state media blaming rebels for the drone strike in government-held Homs.
In the central city of Homs, rebels targeted the graduation ceremony for officers of the military academy.
Syria’s military said in a statement that drones laden with explosives targeted the ceremony as it came to an end. They accused insurgents “backed by known international forces” for the attack, and said that some of the wounded were in critical condition, including women and children.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported 112 dead including 21 civilians, 11 of them were women and girls . It said at least 120 people were wounded.
Health Minister Hassan al-Ghobash told state television the preliminary toll was 80 dead including six women and six children and around 240 wounded.
Syria’s pro-government Shams TV reported 66 killed and 190 wounded in the attack. Syria’s defense minister had attended the ceremony, but left some 20 minutes before the attack, Lebanon’s al-Meyadeen, another pro-regime outlet, reported.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
In the rebel-held Idlib region, residents reported heavy bombardment by government forces in apparent retaliation. The Observatory said eight people had been killed and some 30 wounded.
Major part of the rebel held Idlib region is controlled by Hayat Tahrir Al shaam, an organization formed by the unification of several rebel organizations. Tahrir Al Shaam has used drones to attack the government held areas and military installations in past.
The overnight shelling by government forces killed an elderly woman and four of her children in a rebel-held area of Aleppo province, rescue workers and Observatory reported.
The government in Damascus said a three-day period of official mourning would begin on Friday.
