Car bomb in Damascus claims 12, injures 43
Source: Agencies |
August 29, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A car bomb in a Damascus suburb killed 12 people and wounded 43 yesterday, Syria's SANA news agency reported.
The blast in Jaramana targeted a funeral procession for two people who were killed the previous day. SANA said it was the third bombing in Jaramana in the past 24 hours.
The blast badly damaged a five-story building and burned at least 10 cars to charred hulks.
An activist group said the bomb targeted supporters of President Bashar Assad.
One witness said she saw charred bodies including children. Syrian television said 48 people had been wounded in the "terrorist car bombing."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition body which monitors the violence in Syria, said the two men being buried yesterday were supporters of Assad, who is fighting to crush a 17-month-old uprising against his rule.
Meanwhile, the head of the main Syrian opposition group fighting to oust Assad criticized US officials yesterday for saying it was premature to speak about a transitional Syrian government.
Abdelbaset Sieda said that the Syrian National Council is making "serious" preparations and consulting with other groups and rebels to form a government that could fill the leadership vacuum if Assad falls.
His comments came a day after French President Francoise Hollande called on the Syrian opposition to form a provisional government, saying France would recognize it.
But Hollande's statement was quickly shot down by US officials who said it was premature to speak about a provisional government when Syria's fractured opposition hasn't even agreed yet on a transition plan.
Sieda admitted no names have been discussed and an announcement was not imminent but insisted various factions would eventually pull together.
Syria's opposition has been plagued by divisions and infighting since the start of the uprising last year, and forming a transitional government is fraught with difficulties.
The US officials cited persistent disagreements among factions including the Syrian National Council, rival groups, opposition figures campaigning outside the country and rebels fighting the regime on the front line.
"We're nowhere near that yet," one US official said.
Sieda said the US comments show the international community is "not ready" to be decisive when it comes to Syria and is trying to put all blame on the opposition.
"Yes there are differences within the Syrian opposition and this is normal in any country, but as long as we are agreed on a common vision, these differences can be overcome," Sieda said.
The blast in Jaramana targeted a funeral procession for two people who were killed the previous day. SANA said it was the third bombing in Jaramana in the past 24 hours.
The blast badly damaged a five-story building and burned at least 10 cars to charred hulks.
An activist group said the bomb targeted supporters of President Bashar Assad.
One witness said she saw charred bodies including children. Syrian television said 48 people had been wounded in the "terrorist car bombing."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition body which monitors the violence in Syria, said the two men being buried yesterday were supporters of Assad, who is fighting to crush a 17-month-old uprising against his rule.
Meanwhile, the head of the main Syrian opposition group fighting to oust Assad criticized US officials yesterday for saying it was premature to speak about a transitional Syrian government.
Abdelbaset Sieda said that the Syrian National Council is making "serious" preparations and consulting with other groups and rebels to form a government that could fill the leadership vacuum if Assad falls.
His comments came a day after French President Francoise Hollande called on the Syrian opposition to form a provisional government, saying France would recognize it.
But Hollande's statement was quickly shot down by US officials who said it was premature to speak about a provisional government when Syria's fractured opposition hasn't even agreed yet on a transition plan.
Sieda admitted no names have been discussed and an announcement was not imminent but insisted various factions would eventually pull together.
Syria's opposition has been plagued by divisions and infighting since the start of the uprising last year, and forming a transitional government is fraught with difficulties.
The US officials cited persistent disagreements among factions including the Syrian National Council, rival groups, opposition figures campaigning outside the country and rebels fighting the regime on the front line.
"We're nowhere near that yet," one US official said.
Sieda said the US comments show the international community is "not ready" to be decisive when it comes to Syria and is trying to put all blame on the opposition.
"Yes there are differences within the Syrian opposition and this is normal in any country, but as long as we are agreed on a common vision, these differences can be overcome," Sieda said.
- 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.
