At least two people were wounded on Saturday when Syrian troops bombarded areas in the dissident province of Homs, opposition activists said, in the latest violation of a month-old United Nations-brokered ceasefire.
Omar Homsi, an activist based in Homs, said: “Heavy shelling targeted the district of Al Koussor.” He told DPA that troops also stormed suburban areas in the central province of Hama, another focal point in the anti-regime revolt.
Homs has been a key stronghold of rebels demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad since a pro-democracy uprising erupted in March 2011.
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The military on Saturday set up more checkpoints across the northern city of Aleppo after an overnight bombing targeted the offices of the ruling Baath Party, killing at least one person, according to the opposition.
The blast came hours after the authorities claimed to have foiled a suicide attack in Aleppo.
Twin suicide bombings Thursday in the capital Damascus killed at least 55 people, and wounded 372.
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The ceasefire that went into effect on April 12 was a key element of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan. Its near-daily violations and the persistent violence has raised doubts about the viability of the plan.