Despite the government recently taking back the last rebel-held neighborhoods in the central Syrian city of Homs, all was not calm over the weekend, as a car bombing attack, claimed by ISIS, has killed at least 16 civilians.
The attack, in the Zahra neighborhood, saw an apparent ISIS fighter detonate a car full of explosives near the hospital. The explosion also set off a blast at one of the nearby buildings, adding to the casualties.
ISIS has a limited presence in the easternmost portions of the Homs Province, but was not believed to have any territory within the city itself. Rather, the district recent ceded to the government under an evacuation deal was held by a coalition that included al-Qaeda.
ISIS claimed three bombings in Homs today, and 25 killed overall, but so far there has been no confirmation of the other two attacks, with Syrian state media reporting two blasts, one from the car and another from a nearby building that had a gas cylinder within.
In other words, you can't beat an insurgency.