Local media outlets said that Assad regime forces expanded their military operations to include rebel-held areas in northern rural Homs as the bombing campaigns on rural Idlib and the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta continues unabated.
Smart News Network reported that rebel-held areas in northern rural Homs came under violent shelling by artillery and heavy machine guns from nearby regime checkpoints. It indicated that the shelling was conducted mainly by regime forces stationed at the Qarmas checkpoint north of Homs city.
The shelling targeted houses in towns and villages in northern rural Homs but without reports of casualties.
The Syrian Coalition earlier said that Russia and Iran are partners in the Assad regime’s crimes against Syrian civilians, calling on the international community to protect civilians and stop attacks against them.
Intensified bombardment by regime forces and their allies on rebel-held areas across Syria coincided with the nearing date of the Sochi conference which Moscow said it would host in late January. The bombing campaigns have led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the displacement of tens of thousands to relatively safer areas inside Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
