Gunmen attacked a bus in Homs province, Syria, killing at least seven people, according to state media, hours after an explosion at a gas pipeline near Damascus forced three power plants offline. The state-run Sana news agency reported that 'unknown assailants' opened fire on the bus on Wednesday as it crossed the Masyaf bridge in Homs, resulting in casualties. Security forces have initiated an investigation and released images of officers examining the bus involved in the incident.
Brigadier General Bassem Muhammad Shaaban, the internal security chief for Homs, stated that the bus was a civilian vehicle carrying employees returning home from work. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized the need for accountability, stating, 'We view this cowardly attack as an attempt to undermine the security and stability of the province of Homs. This crime will not go unpunished. Internal security will continue to pursue the perpetrators until they are arrested and brought before the judiciary to receive their due punishment.'
The recent violence highlights ongoing security challenges in Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government at the end of 2024. Damascus and its surrounding areas have experienced multiple attacks during this period.
Shortly before the bus shooting, state media reported an explosion at a gas pipeline in eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, close to one of the country's main power plants. This incident occurred two days after another pipeline was sabotaged in eastern Syria.
The Syrian Electricity Company announced that the Deir Ali, al-Nasiriyah, and Tishreen power plants were offline due to insufficient gas supplies following the explosion. A fire also erupted at the Tishreen power plant after the blast. Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir stated at the site that the fire was under control and that civil defense teams were conducting cooling operations.
Al-Bashir noted that the cause of the Tishreen power station explosion remains unclear, with possibilities including a technical malfunction, an attack, or sabotage. Specialized teams will inspect the site after cooling operations to determine the exact cause. He added that the Tishreen power plant would require repairs and maintenance once the damage assessment was completed, and gas pressure would be gradually increased to restart the Deir Ali plant after work at Tishreen was finalized.
The Syrian Electricity Company warned that the shutdown of the three power plants would lead to increased power rationing hours due to reduced electricity supplies. This explosion marks the third incident affecting Syria's gas network in six weeks, with the Syrian Petroleum Company indicating that the previous two incidents were acts of sabotage. No group has claimed responsibility for any of the explosions.
In recent months, Syrians have expressed concerns over rising energy costs, with protests erupting across the country two weeks ago following a government decision to raise diesel prices by up to 40 percent and petrol prices by 28 percent. The government stated that the increases were temporary and attributed to a significant rise in global energy costs.