Seven Killed in Syria Bus Attack as Pipeline Sabotage Deepens Security and Energy Crisis

Seven people were killed and four others wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a civilian bus in Syria’s central Homs province. Syrian media reported that the passengers were mainly engineers and workers from a private company, along with an employee of the Syrian Electricity Company. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the victims belonged to the Alawite minority, making the incident the latest in a series of attacks affecting minority communities and state workers.

In a separate incident, an explosion struck a major gas pipeline near the Tishrin thermal power plant in Eastern Ghouta, southeast of Damascus, triggering a large fire and forcing three power stations to shut down. Syrian energy authorities warned that the damage would reduce electricity generation and increase power rationing. Officials also said the disruption affected drinking-water pumping and purification facilities, extending the impact of the sabotage beyond the electricity sector.

The two incidents highlight the continuing security and infrastructure challenges facing Syria after the collapse of the Assad government in late 2024 and the rise of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Coastal areas with large Alawite populations experienced deadly violence in 2025, while militant and extremist cells have continued to target civilians, security personnel and critical infrastructure. The latest pipeline attack, coming only two days after another reported sabotage incident in eastern Syria, has raised concerns about sustained pressure on the country’s already fragile energy network.