Tag Archives: Syria

The government thwarted a large car bomb attack in the northern city of Aleppo, a day after two large car bombs exploded in the capital of Damascus. US Secretary of Defense Panetta said al Qaeda had a presence in Syria.

In the largest such bombing to date, two powerful car bombs exploded in Damascus, killing 55 and wounding hundreds. The bombs went off in front of an intelligence headquarters compound. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Syria held parliamentary elections. The government called it an important step toward reform. The opposition denounced the elections as a sham and called for a boycott.

The Free Syrian Army used a bomb-rigged car to target a car wash in Aleppo allegedly used by a government militia, killing at least three people, including a child, and wounding 21. Two bombs exploded in downtown Damascus. UN monitors in Syria now number 50 out of a planned 300.

Two bombs struck a government compound in the northern city of Idlib. Rockets hit the central bank in Damascus, killing nine and wounding 100. The government blamed the opposition, but the opposition denied involvement.

Lebanon detained a ship that was transporting weapons, some with Libyan markings, for Syrian rebels. In a seaborne assault, Syrian rebels attacked an army unit on the Mediterranean coast. Hundreds of army soldiers defected to the rebels.

A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people outside a mosque in Damascus. The Syrian government and opposition activists blamed each other.

A massive explosion killed 70 in Hama. Activists blamed the government while the government blamed a ‘terrorist’ bomb factory. Activists called for an emergency UN meeting over the attack.

UN envoy Kofi Annan said the situation in Syria was “bleak” and that the Syrian army was still carrying out operations where UN observers were not present. The French foreign minister said the UN should be prepared to take military action.

The number of deaths rose sharply. The Syrian military halted violence in areas entered by UN observers but resumed once the monitors left. Activists reported reprisals. Despite claims, government forces have not withdrawn heavy weapons from populated areas. The UN is under pressure to move quickly to send more observers to Syria.

Ending a one-day lull, government forces renewed their attacks. Army troops stormed a suburb of Damascus. The city of Homs was shelled.

The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution increasing the number of UN observers from 30 to 300 and demanding an end to the violence. An opposition spokesman said that Annan’s initiative was “our last chance to avoid civil war.” After widespread violence on Friday, much of Syria was quiet on Saturday, activists said.

A spokesman for UN envoy Kofi Annan said the ceasefire was ‘very fragile’ and the situation was ‘not good.’ Syrian government troops fired on protesters.

The eight-day-old ceasefire between government forces and the opposition continued to deteriorate. Syria and the United Nations signed an agreement for a UN observer mission. The US called for tougher sanctions.