Missiles fired at Syrian city

Beirut : Missiles were fired from the sea at several locations in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia yesterday but were intercepted by air defences, Syrian state media said. The official SANA news agency said the Technical Industry Institution in the state-controlled city had been targeted. SANA added that it was not immediately known who fired the missiles.

“Air defences have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of the Latakia city, and intercepted a number of them,” SANA quoted a military source as saying. State-run Ikhbariya TV said 10 people were injured in the attack. Eight were discharged shortly after being admitted to a nearby hospital.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said huge explosions were heard in the city. The missiles targeted ammunition depots of the Technical Industry Institution in the eastern outskirts of Latakia, the Observatory said. It was not immediately clear what activities the state institution was engaged in. One of the missiles fell in an open area to the west of central Homs city causing a fire in an orchard, Ikhbariya TV said.