ISTANBUL

Thirty-one people were injured Friday when an old rocket left by the Assad regime exploded in the Syrian city of Homs, Syrian authorities said.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that an explosion was heard in the Al-Abbasiyah and Deir Baalbeh neighborhoods in the city.

It was an old rocket that exploded inside an air defense barracks near the Al-Sabeel area, a security source told SANA.

Homs health director Khaled al-Homsi told the agency that 31 people were injured and taken to Al-Zahraa Hospital.

Despite the end of the 14-year civil war in Syria, remnants of war continue to pose a latent threat to civilians, as unexploded ordnance and old munitions remain scattered across parts of the country.

On Dec. 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of Damascus after capturing several other cities, ending 61 years of rule by the Baath Party and 53 years of rule by the Assad family.