Blasts Kill 55, Hurt 372 in Damascus, Annan Urges End to 'Abhorrent Acts'
Twin suicide bombings killed at least 55 people and wounded nearly 400 in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, authorities said, in the deadliest attacks of the country's 14-month uprising.
The government and the opposition traded blame, with Syria's foreign ministry, in a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon hours after the attacks, saying they were the work of "terrorists" armed and funded by foreign organizations and media.
The blasts during morning rush hour left an apocalyptic scene of destruction and further put into question a U.N.-backed ceasefire that has failed to take hold since it went into effect on April 12.
Ban strongly condemned Thursday's attacks and urged all sides to "distance themselves from indiscriminate bombings and other terrorist acts," his spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
Washington called the attacks "reprehensible" while U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who brokered the truce, described them as "abhorrent".
Russia and China, both supporters of President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime, called for a stop to the violence and urged all parties in Syria to cooperate with Annan's peace plan.
State television aired gruesome footage of the aftermath of the twin explosions in the neighborhood of Qazzaz, also blaming "terrorists", a term used by authorities to refer to rebels seeking to topple Assad's regime.
The television showed images of a woman's charred hand on a steering wheel, her gold bracelets dangling from her blackened wrist.
Other burnt and mangled bodies lay in the street amid the carcasses of smoldering vehicles and rubble.
"Is that the freedom you want? Students from schools and employees going to work are dead," shouted one man in the middle of the destruction.
The explosions took place on a main freeway in the south of Damascus, in front of a nine-story security complex whose facade was heavily damaged while nearby residential buildings collapsed.
The interior ministry said the suicide attackers used a ton of explosives, killing at least 55 people and wounding 372.
It added that emergency workers filled 15 bags with body parts, and that the blasts also destroyed around 200 cars.
"These crimes show that Syria is targeted by a terrorist attack launched by organizations armed and funded by parties who proclaim their backing to terrorist crimes," state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying.
At the United Nations, Syria's ambassador said that recent bomb attacks in Syria "carried the stamp of al-Qaida methods," adding that British, French and Belgian nationals were among foreign fighters killed in recent clashes.
But the opposition Syrian National Council accused Assad's regime of staging the bombings in a bid to undermine the U.N. observer mission and to persuade the international community that Damascus was battling "terrorists."
"This is the only way for the regime to claim that what is happening in Syria is the work of terrorist gangs and that al-Qaida is expanding its presence in Syria," said Samir Nashar, of the exile group's executive branch.
The SNC accused the regime of placing the bodies of people it had killed at the site of the bombings, to claim that they died in the blasts.
"Among the victims of the attacks are those whose names are on the lists of people imprisoned by the regime," the group said in a statement.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said the Damascus bombings targeted an intelligence base and killed 59 people, including civilians and security personnel.
The attacks came a day after U.N. observers monitoring the ceasefire escaped unharmed when a roadside bomb exploded as they were visiting the flashpoint southern city of Daraa. Ten Syrian troops escorting them were hurt.
In Geneva, Annan said through his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi that he "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attacks that took place earlier today in Damascus."
"These abhorrent acts are unacceptable and the violence in Syria must stop," he added.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement: "Any and all violence that results in the indiscriminate killing and injury of civilians is reprehensible and cannot be justified."
Damascus has been the target of a number of bombs in the past few months.
Suicide bombers hit two security service bases in the capital on December 23, killing 44 people, in attacks the regime blamed on al-Qaida but which the opposition said were the work of the regime itself.
The U.N. leader had warned on Wednesday of a "brief window" to avoid civil war and indicated the future of the ceasefire monitoring mission was in doubt.
Highlighting an "alarming upsurge" of roadside bombs, alongside government attacks, Ban said that both sides "must 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."
If the violence did not stop, Ban said he feared "a full-scale civil war with catastrophic effects within Syria and across the region."
Elsewhere in the country on Thursday, at least 14 people died in violence, including a child killed by army shelling in northwestern Idlib province, the Observatory said.
The watchdog says that more than 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria since the revolt broke out in March last year.
almost 12 years
I mostly agree with you. The UN never did anything about Israeli massacres and war crimes, and the morally bankrupt West referred to Palestinian suicide bombers as "terrorists". The UN is mostly run by the racist imperialist west. Did the UN do anything to stop the genocide in Rwanda?
almost 12 years
What do you want the West to do, go to war against Russia for Syria? because if you haven't noticed the naval forces buildup around Tartus is not there for the nice Mediterranean weather but to protect bashar against any intervention. Anyway, if such intervention takes place, the same people who asked for it will be the first to criticize it. And all that without taking into consideration the Syrian opposition refusal to clearly demand an outside intervention...the Turkish abdelnasser barks and does nothing, same for the arabs... why would US soldiers die where US flags have been burnt many times?
Anyway, as long as the bourgeoisie doesn't join the revolution, there is little chances that the farmers/workers would win it. Look for the solution inside: Aleppo and Damascus must join the revolution for it to have a chance. It's not the West who's to blame, it's the Syrians themselves.
almost 12 years
There is a sin by action, and a sin by failing to act (un péché par omission). The leaders of the western world have blood on their hands for failing to act and help the Syrians. By defending their people, what the Syrian opposition and FSA are doing is noble; there is dignity in self defense even if it leads to loss of life and the killing the aggressor, but these bombings are terrorist acts that will hurt the opposition above all and the opposition should be the one denouncing them and opposing them vehemently. Accusing the government of stabbing itself in the back is ridiculous. These are acts of terrorists, real terrorists like Al Qaeda and its offshoots, and the opposition leaders should act like statesmen and fight them ferociously.
almost 12 years
No according to LCC, SNC and FSA the Syrian govermant did it on purpose
almost 12 years
1,000 kg of explosives. That is the same size as the Harriri blast. I wonder if this truck was packed in Dahye too???
almost 12 years
We have had for years on end the bitter taste of booby trapped cars, countless deaths, thanks primarily to the criminals in power in Damascus, but more recently in Iran. They're falling to the dirty tricks they have masterminded in Lebanon and elsewhere. No pity for those criminals who have ruined our country, ignited divisions and fire at every corner, ruined the economy (the syrian pound is following suit hopefully!), forced to exile a whole generation of lebanese , destroyed coutnless lives.Let them rot in hell.They're getting chat they deserve!
almost 12 years
Dear Sir:
The Syrian government is backed by Russia and Iran and they're sending them arms and ammunition in front of everyone's eyes. The opposition on the other hand are fighting with almost nothing. And what did the west do, America committed to sending telecom equipment, for what? So that the opposition can use them to call the US and ask for arms? No one can fight the battle for the Syrians, that's their own battle, but the opposition leaders should go to Washington and France and tell them that their stupid excuse that arms might fall in the hands of Al Qaeda is ridiculous, because the only thing that turned the war around in Iraq was the 'awakening' and the arming of the people who want to build a country. The US and the West should intervene, just like Iran and Russia are intervening, no more, no less.
almost 12 years
Despite being against the Assad regime one can only deplore these terrorist acts that inflict casualties on civilians.
If this is not another of the regime's scams to equate the opposition with terrorism it is a start for a disastreous path where extremists take over the revolution's lead.
almost 12 years
experts in france, months ago, predicted this kind of event. it wouldn t be the firwt time that a nation does terrorists acts to throw the blame on those they are fighting...
we ve seen that happened already during the lebanese civil war. and elsewhere. and knowing the terrorist methods of syria in lebanon it wouldn t be surprising if the regime does it to strike the public and international opinion and throw the blame on the opposition to discredit them...
almost 12 years
It is a Syrian issue that need not become an international issue. The Syrian people who want a change needed to have the means to bring it about. Otherwise, this fight will end in one of two ways:
1) Assad prevails after having violated every rule in the book with regard to genocide and crimes against humanity making his regime more dangerous to the region, especially Lebanon; or
2) al Qaida and militant extremists crowd out all others in the Opposition and turn the uprising into a bid to turn Syria into Afghanistan.
These are the costs of non-action that no one should be willing to pay.
(con't)
almost 12 years
(Con't)
It is a Syrian issue that need not become an international issue. The Syrian people who want a change needed to have the means to bring it about. Otherwise, this fight will end in one of two ways:
1) Assad prevails after having violated every rule in the book with regard to genocide and crimes against humanity making his regime more dangerous to the region, especially Lebanon; or
2) al Qaida and militant extremists crowd out all others in the Opposition and turn the uprising into a bid to turn Syria into Afghanistan.
These are the costs of non-action that no one should be willing to pay.
almost 12 years
@sikoflebanon/anonymetexasusa/Hitech (Guest) You have all set up a false choice. The options to policy makers is not to either support the feckless Annan ceasefire or to put American boots on Syrian ground and engage in NATO bombing of Syrian urban centers. You pose the options with the exact purpose of discrediting any action being taken whatsoever.
By taking action, I mean this:
1) Funding the SNC so that it may offer salaries to Syrian Army Officers and soldiers to defect to the FSA, maybe even bringing their weapons;
2) Providing the FSA with defensive weapons such as anti-tank weapons so that it may defend the Syrian civilian population.
3) Recognize politically the SNC and hold it to its declared positions of supporting a political agenda that provides for recognizing the full rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
These are the costs of non-action that no one should be willing to pay.
almost 12 years
I agree with you Beiruti; I clarified what I meant by the West supporting Syria in another post: it's not by sending their own troops, but by supporting the opposition to the same extent Iran and Russia are supporting Syria's government with weapons and money, no more, no less. Unfortunately Naharnet did not post my comment (which I find very disrespectful, especially when it was a very respectfully worded expression of opinion; but this is their website, and they're free to post whatever they want, it's my fault when I waste time writing comments on a website that thinks has the right to censor people's opinions).
almost 12 years
blah blah blah blah thats all i see written by most of you,Most of you claim the international governements are responsible for what is breeding in Syria blah blah blah!Now stop and think do you not believe this reign of fire that is coming down on Syria is from God for the murder Rape and kidnappings that these Grubs done to lebanon.I say its from God who has shown Syria what you have done to others i will do to YOU!may they have a 100 years of war and rip eachother apart.Thank you
almost 12 years
it doesnt matter which because both the Devil and God have Syria in their sights.and there is only ONE true God and his beloved son Jesus Christ our Saviour.He will have his justice in this life or the next.Thank you
almost 12 years
Who has access to a ton of explosives??? hmmmmm
This is the price of the hands off approach of the US and the international community to the Syrian Crisis. The Assad Regime is left free to roam the country and to kill, rape, destroy and torture the Syrian population at will. Did it not think that this action would cause a reaction? Did it not think that the reation would be radical and of equal abhorrence? Does not violence breed violence and killing breed killing?
This will stop only when Assad is made to stop and he will not be made to stop until force is exercised against his regime. So Mr. Annan and the rest, do not get your moral outrage up too high at these events. Your inaction is as much a cause of this spiraling violence as anything else. By your silence you enable Assad and by enabling Assad you feed the cycle of violence into which Syria has descended.