Beirut: State TV says a passenger train has derailed and caught fire in central Syria, killing the driver and wounding several passengers, after "saboteurs" tore out part of the tracks.
The train with 480 passengers on board was travelling on Saturday from the northeastern city of Aleppo to the capital Damascus.
State TV says the saboteurs targeted the train, ripping up a section of the tracks at al-Souda near the central city of Homs. That caused the train to derail and the front carriage to catch fire.
Syria is in the throes of an uprising against President Bashar Assad`s rule. Activists say more than 1,600 civilians have died in the government crackdown since the revolt began in mid-March.
The government blames the unrest on terrorists and foreign extremists, not true reform-seekers.
Bureau Report
