BEIRUT (Sputnik) – The Islamic State jihadist group (Daesh in Arabic) claimed credit for a car bomb explosion near a hospital in central Homs that killed at least 22 people and injured a lot more.
"Such terrorist attacks will not succeed in intimidating the Syrians off the reconciliation track, but will rather boost their determination to continue fighting terrorism and consolidating national unity," Halqi was quoted as saying by the Syrian SANA news agency.
Armed Syrian rebels began leaving Homs earlier this week under an agreement reached between the government in Damascus and the opposition early this month.
The UN-brokered agreement stipulates opposition fighters to fully withdraw from the city, controlled by insurgents for four years.