At Least 15 Dead in Huge Damascus Suicide Bomb
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A massive suicide car bomb ripped through the heart of Damascus on Monday, killing at least 15 people and littering a central street with dead bodies and the carcasses of charred cars.
"Terrorists detonate car bomb between Sabaa Bahrat Square and Shahbander Street," state television reported, adding that initial information suggested it had been a suicide attack.
"The preliminary toll from the terrorist bombing... is more than 15 martyrs and 53 injuries," the broadcaster added.
An Agence France Presse correspondent said the blast caused extensive damage and that intense gunfire was heard shortly afterwards. The blast damaged the AFP Damascus office, blowing out the windows, but no staff were hurt.
State television broadcast scenes of devastation as huge plumes of thick black smoke billowed up around buildings in the area, partly obscuring them.
Dozens of vehicles were damaged, some crumpled almost beyond recognition, others with their windows blown out or cracked by the blast. Several were completely gutted, only their charred chassis remaining.
Firefighters rushed to the area, attempting to control blazes started by the explosion, which one state broadcaster said took place near a school, adding that children were believed to be among the dead and wounded.
The footage showed bloodied bodies with limbs askew and chunks of flesh strewn on the streets, with bystanders draping clothes or cardboard boxes over them.
One group of men worked to retrieve a body from a badly damaged yellow taxi, tugging at its jammed doors. A veiled woman wept as she walked from the scene, passing a man holding a terrified, sobbing young girl.
"I was in the street with my colleague when the ground shook beneath our feet," 32-year-old Anana told AFP, not far from Sabaa Bahrat Square.
"People started to scream 'explosion, explosion' and we saw a cloud of thick, black smoke emerge from the scene of the attack."
"We have to stop this bloodbath! When we leave home we don't know if we'll return alive," sobbed Mayssa, who worked near the scene of the blast.
"We say to those behind these attacks that the Syrian people... will move forward to crush these armed terrorist gangs," Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi said, speaking to media at the scene.
The attack, which was not claimed by any group, occurred near the Syrian central bank, and security forces and the army quickly moved into the area to prevent people from approaching the site of the attack.
On March 21, a huge explosion ripped through a Damascus mosque killing at least 49 people, including a key pro-regime Sunni cleric. And a month earlier, on February 21, at least 83 people were killed in a spate of bombings in the city.
Elsewhere, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that a U.N. inspection team was in Cyprus and ready to deploy to Syria to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in the conflict.
"I can announce today that an advance team is now in Cyprus, the final staging point" before the mission heads to Syria, Ban said in The Hague. "We are ready."
"The U.N. is now in the position to deploy in Syria -- in less than 24 hours all logistical arrangements will in place," Ban said after President Bashar Assad called on the U.N. to probe allegations rebels had used chemical weapons.
"All we are waiting for is the go-ahead of the Syrian government to determine if any chemical weapons have been deployed," he added.
"We are still in the process of discussing it with the Syrian government."
Syria's conflict, now in its third year, is believed to have killed more than 70,000 people. On Sunday alone, 157 people were killed throughout the country, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog.
08 April 2013, 14:16
74
What do the innocent civilians have to do with the war in Syria? Are the FSA-Al Qaeda terrorists getting so desperate to restore their destroyed morale that they now have to target and slaughter unarmed, defenseless civilians?
08 April 2013, 14:28
65
How liberated must the families of the dead and injured must feel. This is thanks to Saudi and Qatar for exporting all their extremist filth for jihad.
08 April 2013, 15:05
00
I'm glad you like it mowaten, but I already knew you would from all the happiness the Syrian regime used to bring you for all these years with it's Lebanese and Iraqi car bombs.
08 April 2013, 15:09
45
whether scuds, airplanes bombs, tanks , canons, or bombs, people will die and get injured in wars.
08 April 2013, 16:21
33
all the above mentioned tools are being used in this war and we know it kills mostly innocent civilians.
so what is it you are trying to say?
08 April 2013, 16:25
22
was there al qaeda in Lebanon during our civil war? was there wahabis? so why were most of the deaths civilian i wonder????
08 April 2013, 16:39
24
but air strikes on residential neighborhoods.. tanks firing on bakeries.. hey they are REALLY trying to avoid civilian casualties.. they are such a humanitarian bunch...
08 April 2013, 18:51
21
FT- Don't takes this personally but I can't believe you are justifying what assad is doing. "if assad finished them off, I think the world will forgive him because he got us rid of the greater evil."
Why in the world you can’t say not to both evils is beyond me. Why you want to consistently keep insisting that the Middle East only has two choices of evils ONLY is ridiculous. Don’t support Assad and don’t support al-Qaeda. How hard can something be?The world will not forgive assad ever whether he wins or loses. That I promise you! Think about what he has been doing in Lebanon after since 2005 (samaha is a big hint). How much cleansing of opposing politicians do you think will happen if he somehow wins?
08 April 2013, 18:52
21
As for what his father did to Lebanon, some of the Lebanese leaders did invite him in and they carry a huge responsibility on their shoulders for all the blood that was spilled. However, in no way does that excuse that POS (may he be rotting in hell as we speak) for what he did in Lebanon. Whether he was invited in or not, his actions were inexcusable and downright inhumane.
08 April 2013, 20:10
20
it's funny how bashar supporters justify his killing of innocents by citing "all out war" yet they withhold such leniency for his enemies.
08 April 2013, 22:30
10
@flamethrower, it's quite simple, people justify bashar's killing of civilians but when the rebels do it they are terrorists. It's called a double standard and hypocrisy. The fact is only a minority of the rebels (al nusra) are involved in such things whereas bashar is killing civilians as a matter of policy.
08 April 2013, 23:11
11
FT- reality is what you make of it. Just because you tell me that it's either al nursa or assad does not make it so. Reality IS neither. reality is assad will fall and reality is syria will not end up under al qaeda control. that is the reality
BTW- i thought i answered every point you made in the post. how did i pick and choose?
09 April 2013, 09:35
11
mowaten.. if you want the FSA to fight outside cities and towns why dont you want HA to do the same against Israel?? double standards b.s. the SAA is waaaaaay better armed than the FSA, and the FSA is choosing to fight them the same way HA fights Israel and for the same reasons..
09 April 2013, 10:35
11
FT.. in alot of ways you are right... i am torn between the two.. and yes we did let him in.. but not to slaughter us..rob us... and f us in every way possible.. I do believe Assad is bad for Syria.. and that the threat of an "Islamic state" are exaggerated.. as for all out war.. i agree.. there is no two ways about it.. this is now a civil war and not a revolution or uprising.. but as i mentioned.. in a civil war, and you can take Lebanon as an example, most of the casualties are civilian. do i agree with that? not at all.. but the FSA being weaker than than the SAA is fighting a g war.. just like HA against Israel. i do not want Al-qaeda to win.. and i sure as hell do not want Assad to win.. i hope for the moderate people to elect the future leaders of Syria.
08 April 2013, 15:36
00
Why all the complaints girls, this suicide bomber came to Damascus to show the master in the subject of bombings suicide and otherwise what he's learned, Bashar must by very very proud imitation is the best form of flattery.
08 April 2013, 16:22
54
not that i am with this barbaric act or any other.. but in reference to your comment "not only is that coward hiding in jordan while he sends people to kill and die" allow me to ask the question... where was Nasrallah every time there was a war? not hiding somewhere or the other and sending young men to die? now to set the record straight both the piece of trash you talk about and the one i talk about can go rot in hell.. but lets not point out one fault and not point out the same in another...
08 April 2013, 16:24
44
"Syrian state media reported"... that is when you close the browser and gain back your sanity.
08 April 2013, 16:28
44
Or in your case, close the browser and strap on the suicide-bomb vest.
08 April 2013, 17:47
32
the link you provided is hearsay (which I must say is an improvement for YOU) , where is the actual statement.
08 April 2013, 19:20
21
What you just mentioned has nothing to do with story...but in any case did you check the website that is responsible for the quote that you just referenced and what it has to say about hizbocrap? So if this, to you, is a credible source, shall we then take their information about hizbocrap to be credible as well or will you continue living in your double standards.
08 April 2013, 20:17
21
here's a better link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRpvuaj6Yyg&feature=youtu.be
ASSad TV reporter admits that he was at the scene BEFORE the bombing happened...no hearsay or questionable sources here, straight from the horse's mouth.
08 April 2013, 20:29
30
then clearly you did not see the footage of the reporter planting evidence at another bombing site, or the reporter poking her colleague when he started to mention points that contradict the lies that they were telling in an interview...all of these "just happen" according to you? I am not surprised, I mean you probably religiously follow Almanar and Alalam so these are quite regular occurrences for you...
08 April 2013, 16:24
42
Syria Al Assad.. lol... it is sad that one cannot say long live Syria without the conditioning shinning through and placing the boot squarely on the neck... il muhim Assad walla Syria????
08 April 2013, 16:36
44
According to you he never left Lebanon... but unless you are in the personla security detail of Nassy forgive me if i dont take your word.. odds are he was in Syria for the majority of the fight.. but im not going to speculate... but according to you it is ok to be IN the country but hiding.. but being outside the country and hiding makes you a coward.. ok.. just checking..
and for your most minor point i replied that i am not with this barbarian or that... do not let me get some fatwas of your beloved supreme leader for facts... anybody who plays religion off to kill people is a dirty tool.. i never denied.. just setting you straight with the hiding and sending to die.
08 April 2013, 16:48
22
al Qaeda planted bombs in Irak for years because they feel the sunnites got undermined there by chiites.
Now they are planting bombs in Syria because they feel syrian sunnites are oppressed by Alawites.
We have to keep the moderate lebanese sunnites strong in Lebanon to keep al qaeda from coming to our country, let them stay busy somewhere else.
08 April 2013, 16:58
32
what is your proof that this was an "alQaeda planted bomb"... ASSad media?
08 April 2013, 17:13
32
mohamed
no need for proof. Habits die hard. 2 styles of bomb putters:
1-Assad's style is to put bombs to kill politicians who are good for Lebanon.
2-Al Qaeda's style is to put bombs to kill fullstop.
08 April 2013, 20:17
30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRpvuaj6Yyg&feature=youtu.be
So why was this ASSad TV reporter at the scene BEFORE the bombing happened as he admits in this video?
08 April 2013, 21:02
02
Mohamed.
This could be mounted, it could be a fake. But also, it could be Assad. It is not unlikely that Assad puts bombs against his own city to undermine the opposition. Typical stalinist behaviour
08 April 2013, 17:40
00
Surprised to see so many supporting Bashar the biggest mass murderer of the 21st century. I love how ironically you talk about terrorism when the Syrian army has been using terrorism for two years. But the FSA will prevail. And you all know it.
08 April 2013, 18:09
46
FT the hizbollah fighters that died over the last couple of months in syria were declared by hizbollah "died performing their jihadist duty"...now i want u to look up what "jihad" means so that u can educate yourself a bit since u claim he never sent ppl to die for their religion
08 April 2013, 18:57
42
It's quite disturbing that so many people here, who probably consider themselves decent human beings, still support Bashar. He is the biggest mass murderer of the 21st century. Morals aside, he is losing ground daily and his regime surely won't last much longer. Unfortunately there won't be much left of Syria after he is done taking it down with him.
08 April 2013, 19:34
43
mowaten- most people denounce both. your problem is you are on one side of the problem while denouncing the other. you are no better than the people you denounce.
08 April 2013, 20:20
21
and all the unarmed protesters arrested and tortured or shot down in the streets like dogs? All false flags? The fact is, if Bashar had any decency, dignity or common sense he could have avoided all this by responding to the protests with something other than complete ruthlessness. Now he has sealed his own fate.
08 April 2013, 20:20
20
and all the unarmed protesters arrested and tortured or shot down in the streets like dogs? All false flags? The fact is, if Bashar had any decency, dignity or common sense he could have avoided all this by responding to the protests with something other than complete ruthlessness. Now he has sealed his own fate.
08 April 2013, 20:27
22
It is not al nusra who started the revolution but the peacefull SYRIAN protestors all over the country calling for bachar to leave. What happened next is expected like in most revolutions in arab countries where these extremist group take advantage of the chaos to execute their agenda and u choose to only look at them neglecting the millions of syrians also fighting this war. Rebels will deny al nusra are the dominating force just like they have been doing from the begining but u choose to ignore it coz then ur logic would not stand...be a man and stand up for what is right since u got beaten up by the same man u support now. U dt have to choose between the two evils because they are not the only 2 sides in this fight and this a FACT and instead denounce both barbaric parties and leave the choosing for the syrians men and women who r dying for their land. its their fight and they r the only side one should support.
08 April 2013, 20:42
31
ah so the rebels are shooting their own now? Or maybe it was CIA or mossad? Sorry man but you need your head checked.
08 April 2013, 23:44
11
FT- Mowaten has done nothing but support assad. That's not even a discussion point. If either of you two chooses to deny that would be a blatant lie (I hope you test my searching skills of your previous comments). As for what is happening inside syria being a syrian problem only is absurd. I have a right to voice my opinion and keep this in mind. If the whole world turned a blind eye to the atrocities there, who would stop asaad from gassing everyone? Who would stop him from doing what his father did? Finally, if we don’t support to the voice of the oppressed people, how can they every get rid of a dictator that has murdered many of your countrymen? As a government, yes we have to play the dissociation card militarily but only militarily. I will support the people against dictators any day of the week.
08 April 2013, 20:08
32
if assad wasn t clinging to his throne and listened earlier to the demands of the people this war could have been avoided.... but by letting it rot he knew perfectly well that this was going to happen and thus justifying his killings and murders of citizens...and keep his war going on... but now he cannot move backwards and has to face the pandora box he opened with the approval of M8ers....
a suicide bomber killed 15 and assad killed 15 civilians too... assad is no better than the islamists and the islamists are not FSA....
08 April 2013, 20:32
23
desperate act, they getting nowhere, everyone supporting this terrorists; i hope this happens to ur family...
long live syria al Assad
08 April 2013, 20:39
51
more like short live assad...he will be dead in 6 months inshallah
08 April 2013, 22:43
13
funny thats what the opposition said 2 years ago, that he would be gone within a week.
08 April 2013, 22:46
40
indeed it is taking a long time and it is very painful but if you think assad will still be in power at the end of all this, I think you are delusional
08 April 2013, 20:54
30
pfff its usuless to argue i guess...a shame that ppl like that exist...better to wait for history to repeat itself. All tyrants fall sooner or later and its clear their will never be any going back for assad. its just a matter of time until he follows the likes of him into history's garbage.
08 April 2013, 22:36
31
we find some M8ers denouncing crimes by islamists in syria which is a good thing but none when it comes to crimes commited by assad... strange isn t it? lol
08 April 2013, 22:46
10
This is very chaotic and cruel event. Syria is a bloody land, and we Lebanese have to keep our noisy noses away from it! It's not of our buisness, it is Syrian internal affairs. No Lebanese should be present in the war in Syria.
09 April 2013, 00:08
11
Since when a dictatorship was brought down by massacring innocent civilians?
Those who are plotting these sucide bombings and employing blinded fanatics to execute them should know that their barabric ways will not bring the oppressive regime of Assad down. he does not care how many die , on the contrary he employs these incidents to sacre the Syrians into accepting him or they will be left to the extremists mercy.
09 April 2013, 00:26
20
There is really nothing new. Arab/Muslims killing each other. I wonder how loud those filthy Persians are laughing at you? Until the Middle East becomes civilized (Arabs and Israelis alike), any other society associated and/or sharing space with them, will have no choice but to leave or dirty their hands, and this is way we have guys like Geagea, Aoun, and the like. These guys were born and molded out your conflict, and they are so sick and tiered of this that they would be willing to kill and/or make a deal with the eneby. Geagea would split the Country in half or thirds to rid himself and his faithfulls of this B.S. Yalla, God be with you and go kill in God's name.
09 April 2013, 00:42
20
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God (al-jihad fi sabil Allah)". Jihad is an important religious duty for Muslims. A minority among the Sunni scholars sometimes refer to this duty as the sixth pillar of Islam, though it occupies no such official status.[4] In Twelver Shi'a Islam, however, Jihad is one of the 10 Practices of the Religion.
09 April 2013, 00:51
11
i keep it civil with ppl who r educated enough to go perform a 15 sec search on the internet to find a correct definition, for the sake of the argument, instead of coming up with a bullshit invented one to make us believe hizbollah has nothing in common with al quaeda and other religious organization.
