Syria crisis: At least 18 people killed in car bombings as ceasefire deal reached in Homs

At least 18 people, including 11 children, have been killed in car bomb attacks in two villages in Syria, according to state-run television reports.

The explosions are said to have occurred on Friday in Jabreen and Humayri, both of which are in the central province of Hama and under government control.

Rami Abdurrahman, of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told The Associated Press that the group's activists counted at least 15 dead from the blasts, including at least eight civilians.


Abdurrahman said he wasn't aware so far of any children being killed in the two attacks but conflicting death tolls are common after large bombings.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings, but the al-Qa'ida-affiliated Nusra Front has claimed responsibility for several car bombings in recent weeks, including a double car bombing in a pro-government district in the central city of Homs and a mortar strike in Damascus that killed at least 54 people on Tuesday