Two deadly explosions have hit the Syrian capital of Damascus killing dozens of people. The buildings struck housed the interior and intelligence services., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Dozens killed, injured in 'terrorist bombings' in Syrian capital: State TV
Thu May 10, 2012 6:32AM GMT
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Syrian state TV says two bomb attacks have been carried out in the capital, Damascus, killing and wounding dozens of people.
The “terrorist attacks” were carried out on the freeway in the south of Damascus early on Thursday, the state TV said.
On May 9, a bomb attack also targeted a Syrian military truck escorting a convoy of UN observers near the southwestern city of Dara’a on Wednesday. Six Syrian soldiers were wounded in the attack.
Head of the UN mission Major General Robert Mood was also in the convoy, but neither he nor any of the other monitors sustained injuries.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about the attack in Dara’a on Wednesday.
Ban called on the Syrian government and the opposition to “realize that we have a brief window to stop the violence, a brief opportunity to create an opening for political engagement between the government and those seeking change.”
The latest attacks in Damascus were conducted ten days after the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 20 people were killed and scores of others injured in two bomb attacks against the Air Force Intelligence headquarters and the Military Intelligence building in the northwestern city of Idlib on April 30.
A number of UN observers are currently monitoring a ceasefire in Syria that took effect on April 12.
The ceasefire was part of a six-point peace plan proposed by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan in March.
The first group of the UN observers arrived in Damascus late on April 15. The observers were approved for the mission according to UNSC Resolution 2042 passed on April 14.
On April 21, the UN Security Council met and unanimously voted on Resolution 2043 to send a mission of 300 observers to Syria.
The Security Council “established, for an initial 90-day period, a supervision mission, to be known as UNSMIS, comprising an initial and expeditious deployment of up to 300 unarmed military observers, including an appropriate civilian component and air transportation assets, to monitor a cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties,” reads Resolution 2043.
May 10, 3:04 AM EDT
Syria says dozens dead or wounded in blasts
By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syrian state TV says dozens of people are dead or wounded after two strong explosions ripped through the capital, Damascus.
Thursday morning's blasts heavily damaged a military intelligence building and left blood and human remains in the streets.
The blasts happened at about 7:50 a.m., when employees are usually arriving at work.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Two strong explosions ripped through the Syrian capital Thursday, heavily damaging a military intelligence building and leaving blood and human remains in the streets.
The death toll was not immediately clear.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene said ambulances were trying to reach the victims in the capital's Qazaz neighborhood.
The blasts happened at about 7:50 a.m., when employees are usually arriving at work.
Central Damascus is tightly under the control of forces loyal to President Bashar Assad but has been struck by several bomb attacks, often targeting security installations or convoys.
The latest major explosion in the capital occurred on April 27 when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt near members of the security forces, killing at least nine people and wounding 26.
Syria's conflict started in March 2011 with mass protests calling for political reform. The government swiftly cracked down, dispatching tanks, troops, snipers and pro-government thugs to quash dissent, and many members of the opposition took up arms to defend themselves and attack government troops. Many soldiers also switched sides.
The U.N said weeks ago that more than 9,000 people had been killed. Hundreds more have died since.
International diplomacy has failed to stop the bloodshed, and the U.N. has ruled out military intervention of the type that helped bring down Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, in part out of fear that it could exacerbate the violence.
On Wednesday, a roadside bomb hit a Syrian military truck in a southern province just seconds after the head of the U.N. observer team was driving by in a convoy, demonstrating the fragility of the international plan to end the country's bloodshed.
In Washington, meanwhile, President Barack Obama took steps to extend sanctions against Assad's government, saying Syria poses an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and diplomatic goals.
10 May 2012 Last updated at 03:12 ET
Syria unrest: Damascus hit by two deadly blasts
The blasts caused massive destruction in a suburb to the south of Damascus
Two explosions have hit the Syrian capital, Damascus, with state TV saying dozens have been killed or wounded in "terrorist bombings".
State TV footage of the blasts showed massive destruction in the al-Qazzaz suburb to the south of Damascus.
Damascus has been the target of several bombs in past months amid continuing anti-government unrest.
The last deadly blast was at the end of April, when some 10 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack near a mosque.
The head of the UN observer mission in Syria is visiting the site of the explosions, the AFP news agency reports.
Crater
Television footage showed dozens of mangled and burnt vehicles, some containing bodies.
A large crater could be seen in the road.
The two blasts happened almost simultaneously.
The district targeted is said to house a military intelligence complex involved in President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on the ongoing pro-democracy protests.
Meanwhile, the Syrian army has shelled the city of Homs overnight.
Opposition activists described it as some of the heaviest shelling in Homs for weeks.
Eleven United Nations monitors are now stationed there to try to implement a ceasefire.
But a BBC correspondent in Homs says they have an impossible task, with both sides breaking the truce.
The observers are in the country as part of the joint UN-Arab League peace plan and began deploying last month.
There are now about 70 monitors in Syria as a whole, but their presence has had no effect in quelling the violence.
Violence was reported in several parts of the country on Wednesday, including the northern province of Idlib and the city of Hama.
The UN says at least 9,000 people have died since pro-democracy protests began in March 2011. In February, Syria's government put the death toll at 3,838 - 2,493 civilians and 1,345 security forces personnel.
Are you in Damascus? Did you witness the blasts? Send us your comments.
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