The Syrian government claimed that a “suicide terrorist” killed 25 people and wounded scores more in an attack in the capital of Damascus today. The blast took place near a school in the Maidan neighborhood, killing 25 people and wounding more than 40, according to Syrian news services.
“Immediate information indicates that a suicide terrorist blew himself up at a traffic light in the Maidan neighborhood,” state television said, according to Reuters. “There are dozens of dead and wounded, mostly civilians.”
No group has claimed credit for today’s attack. It could not be confirmed that the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber, as independent media outlets do not have access to the site.
In addition to today’s attack, the Syrian government has claimed that two other suicide attacks have taken place in Damascus since late December 2011. The Syrian government said that twin blasts targeting security headquarters on Dec. 23 were the work of al Qaeda. Over 40 people were reported killed and scores more were wounded in the blasts.
But no group claimed credit for the Dec. 23 blasts. In fact, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an al Qaeda affiliate that operates in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and throughout the Middle East, denied responsibility.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades released an official statement denying any role in the Dec. 23 attacks and said the bombs were the work of the Mukhabarat, Syria’s military intelligence branch, which is controlled by President Bashir al Assad.
“The mujahideen, in all their groups, have no connection to these vicious bombings, and accusing them of it is falsehood and lies. The one truly responsible for them is he who is benefiting from them, and it is the regime of al Assad and his intelligence agencies,” the Abdullah Azzam Brigades said in a statement that was released on Dec. 27 and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Assad’s regime is fighting a rebellion that has seen hundreds of his soldiers defect to the Free Syrian Army. Assad’s security forces have ruthlessly put down protests in major cities and villages across Syria. His forces are said to have killed more than 5,000 Syrians since the uprising began last year, according to human rights groups.
Sources:
Deadly bombing hits Syrian capital, NOW Lebanon
Suicide bomb kills 25 in Damascus: Syrian TV, Reuters
Adbullah Azzam Brigades denies responsibility for Damascus suicide attacks, The Long War Journal
6 Comments
The use of the word “vicious” as an insulting description of the attack is interesting.
Would that organization agree that the many hundreds or thousands of virtually identical attacks done by various Islamic terrorists are also “vicious”?
Wouldn’t it be fairly easy to label any bombing a suicide bombing? I mean, in most circumstances you would corroborate that with the decapitated head that inevitably separates from the body when the bomber clacks off. But given the lack of media access in Syria, the Assad regime could well have simply detonated a bomb and called it what it wanted. Same could be said for who the victims are. Not that it isn’t possible that the opposition groups (one of whom promised a noteworthy attack) did, in fact, conduct a suicide bombing. Were that the case, it still serves the regime right for all those years it harbored and enabled (if not outright supported) terrorists entering Iraq.
Syria sounds like a great ‘playground’ for the aspiring anarchist.
Paybacks rough, huh Assad?
You supported/helped/facilitated/turned a blind eye to all of the Iraqi and foreign terrorists going over your border into Iraq to blow themselves and hundreds of innocent Iraqis to bits, and now you’re complaining?
What goes around, comes around. Or as the Bible says, “for they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the
whirlwind.” Hosea 8:7
Most likely a state-sanctioned hit in order to induce fear and accelerate control over the populace.
these attacks are most likely forgeries perpetrated by the Syrian government.
I have no problem agreeing that it was a “suicide terrorist,” just seriously suspect that it was a “suicide terrorist” under control of the regime, particularly after having seen videos, such as the one where one of the “wounded” is appearing to be attended to compassionately while in “agony,”and then when a siren is heard, he jumps up & gestures to cut the filming!