Suicide bomber kills 31 in Syria's Hama: NGO

BEIRUT - Agence France-Presse

REUTERS Photo

A suicide bomber blew up a truck laden with explosives at an army checkpoint in Syria's central city of Hama Sunday killing at least 31 people, a monitoring group said.
 
"At least 31 people, including regime troops, were killed when a man detonated a truck laden with explosives at a checkpoint near an agricultural vehicles company on the road linking Hama to Salamiyeh," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
 
The Britain-based watchdog said the death toll was likely to rise, as "there are dozens of wounded, some of them in critical condition".
 
State television had earlier reported multiple casualties from a bombing in Hama without giving a more precise casualty toll.
 
In the first months after the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime erupted in March 2011, Hama saw some of the largest demonstrations against his rule.
 
But in late summer of that year, security forces stormed the city, killing scores of people. They have held a tight grip on the city ever since.
 
While several other Syrian cities have been engulfed by fighting, Hama has seen only sporadic violence in recent months.
 
However, the surrounding province has seen some major clashes between troops and rebels.