The Armenian quarter of the Syrian city of Homs was targeted by several missiles.

The missiles struck two houses on Sunday, December 9, collapsing a four storey apartment building in which at least five people were killed and 37 injured, foreign media reported.

The conflict in Syria started nearly 21 months ago as an uprising against Assad, whose family has ruled the country for four decades. It quickly morphed into a civil war, with rebels taking up arms to fight back against a bloody crackdown by the government. According to activists, more than 40,000 people have been killed since March 2011.