Syria: At least 23 killed, 65 wounded in shelling of Latakia

At least 23 people were killed, with an estimated 65 wounded, after two explosions rocked the Syrian city of Latakia, Tuesday, leaving smoke billowing over the city centre. One of the blasts was delivered by rocket fire, the other potentially from a rocket or an explosive device, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. One of the Syrian government’s key points of support and control, Latakia has come under attack in recent months as anti-governement militants continue to launch assaults in the governorate. Although a car bomb killed 10 people in the city in September, Latakia has been mostly unaffected by violence felt elsewhere in the country during the Syrian conflict. The region is also home to the Russian military contingent assigned to assist the Syrian armed forces, based at the Hmeymim airbase.