Explosion wounds 3 in Damascus as Turkey bulks up border defense
Source: Agencies |
June 29, 2012, Friday
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A strong explosion rocked the Syrian capital yesterday near a busy market and the country's highest court, wounding at least three people and sending clouds of black smoke into the sky.
The blast came as tensions threatened to spread across the region. Turkey deployed anti-aircraft guns and other weapons alongside its border with Syria, Turkish state TV said. Syrian forces shot a Turkish military plane out of the sky last week.
Major world powers will meet tomorrow in Geneva, Switzerland, for talks on Syria, but few observers expect a major breakthrough.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said yesterday Moscow will not endorse a call for Assad to give up power.
"We are not supporting and will not support any external meddling," he said. "External players must not dictate ... to Syrians, but, first of all, must commit to influencing all the sides in Syria to stop the violence."
It was not clear who was behind yesterday's blast in Damascus.
Much of the violence that has gripped Syria since the uprising began has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on government targets, and several massive suicide attacks this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the fray.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene of the blast said some cars had their windshields blown out.
"I did not see any wounded people, but cars and nearby shops were damaged," said Fawaz Mishhim, a witness who was in a nearby market when he heard the explosion.
Syria's state-run TV said the explosion was in the parking lot of the Palace of Justice, a compound that houses several courts. The blast happened at 1pm near the capital's famous Hamidiyeh Market.
Witnesses reported hearing one blast, but state-run TV said two explosions struck the area. The report also said a roadside bomb was found but did not explode.
Syria has been hit by a wave of massive explosions in recent months, killing dozens of people. Most of the explosions targeted the security agencies of President Bashar Assad, who is fighting to end a 15-month-old uprising against his rule.
Last month, an explosion targeted a military intelligence compound south of Damascus. Fifty-five people were killed in the blast, Syria's deadliest to date.
Meanwhile, activists reported clashes between troops and rebels. They said more than a dozen people were killed nationwide.
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