Related News
Car bomb attacks kill at least 34, wound dozens in Syrian capital
Source: Agencies |
November 29, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TWIN car bombs ripped through a Damascus suburb yesterday, killing at least 34 people and leaving dozens critically wounded.
The state news agency, SANA, said two cars packed with explosives detonated early in the morning in the eastern Jaramana suburb, a district mostly loyal to President Bashar Assad. The area is populated mostly by Christians and Druse, a minority sect.
A series of car and suicide bombings have struck regime targets in Damascus and elsewhere since last December, raising fears of a rising Islamic militant element among the forces seeking to topple Assad.
Yesterday's car bombs went off in a parking lot between two commercial buildings. They were detonated within five minutes of one another as groups of laborers and employees were arriving to work.
The blasts shattered windows in nearby buildings, littering the street with glass and debris. Human remains were scattered on the pavement amid pools of blood.
After the first explosion, people rushed to help the injured and then the second bomb went off, said Ismail Zlaiaa, 54, who lives in the area. "It is an area packed with rush-hour passengers," he said. "God will not forgive the criminal perpetrators."
Ibtissam Nseir, a 45-year-old school teacher, said the bombing struck minutes before she set off for work. She said there were no soldiers around the district and wondered why the attackers would target it. Nseir blamed opposition fighters for the attack.
"Is this the freedom which they want? Syria is a secure country and it will remain so," she said.
Syria's conflict started 20 months ago as an uprising against Assad, whose family has ruled the country for four decades. It has developed into a civil war, with rebels taking up arms to fight back against a bloody crackdown by the government. According to activists, some 40,000 people have been killed since March 2011.
Assad blames the revolt on a conspiracy to destroy Syria, saying the uprising is being driven by foreign terrorists and not Syrians seeking change.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday's bombings.
Rebels fighting to topple Assad are predominantly members of the Sunni Muslim majority. In their push to take Damascus, they have frequently targeted state institutions and troops around the country. They have also often hit districts around the capital with the country's minority communities.
The state news agency, SANA, said two cars packed with explosives detonated early in the morning in the eastern Jaramana suburb, a district mostly loyal to President Bashar Assad. The area is populated mostly by Christians and Druse, a minority sect.
A series of car and suicide bombings have struck regime targets in Damascus and elsewhere since last December, raising fears of a rising Islamic militant element among the forces seeking to topple Assad.
Yesterday's car bombs went off in a parking lot between two commercial buildings. They were detonated within five minutes of one another as groups of laborers and employees were arriving to work.
The blasts shattered windows in nearby buildings, littering the street with glass and debris. Human remains were scattered on the pavement amid pools of blood.
After the first explosion, people rushed to help the injured and then the second bomb went off, said Ismail Zlaiaa, 54, who lives in the area. "It is an area packed with rush-hour passengers," he said. "God will not forgive the criminal perpetrators."
Ibtissam Nseir, a 45-year-old school teacher, said the bombing struck minutes before she set off for work. She said there were no soldiers around the district and wondered why the attackers would target it. Nseir blamed opposition fighters for the attack.
"Is this the freedom which they want? Syria is a secure country and it will remain so," she said.
Syria's conflict started 20 months ago as an uprising against Assad, whose family has ruled the country for four decades. It has developed into a civil war, with rebels taking up arms to fight back against a bloody crackdown by the government. According to activists, some 40,000 people have been killed since March 2011.
Assad blames the revolt on a conspiracy to destroy Syria, saying the uprising is being driven by foreign terrorists and not Syrians seeking change.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday's bombings.
Rebels fighting to topple Assad are predominantly members of the Sunni Muslim majority. In their push to take Damascus, they have frequently targeted state institutions and troops around the country. They have also often hit districts around the capital with the country's minority communities.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
