(Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A suicide car bomb ripped through a military checkpoint while being inspected in Syria's central city of Homs on Thursday, killing three military personnel and wounding others, state TV reported.

The soldiers of the Mishrfeh checkpoint were inspecting a car on the way between Salamiyeh area and Homs, when the driver set it off while the soldiers were inspecting it, killing the officer of the checkpoint and two soldiers, and wounding many other soldiers at the checkpoint.

The attack is the latest in a string of bombings targeted the city of Homs, and the capital Damascus as well, as part of the rebels pressure tactic ahead of the new round of Syria talks in Geneva, which is slated for Thursday.

On March 14, an explosive device ripped through a passenger bus in Homs city, killing two and wounding seven others.

Last month, six suicide bombers detonated themselves in two security headquarters in Homs, killing at least 42 people, mostly security personnel.

At the time, the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front claimed responsibility of the series of the deadly bombings that rocked Homs.