Three civilians were killed and 25 others were injured due to mortar shell attacks on Haj Atef Square in al-Mahatta (station) district in Homs. Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and civilians across the country. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes. The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.