Suicide bombers attack government buildings in Damascus, killing 27

Suicide bombers attack government buildings in Damascus, killing 27

2012-03-18 17:46:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

DAMASCUS, Syria (BNO NEWS) -- Two suicide bombers attacked government buildings in the Syrian capital of Damascus on early Saturday morning, killing at least 27 people and injuring more than 100 others, state-run media reported.

The first attack happened at about 7:20 a.m. local time when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle at the al-Jamarek roundabout in Damascus. It was followed by a second attack several minutes later when a suicide car bomber blew himself up at al-Tahrir Square.

The explosions appeared to target intelligence and police buildings in the area, witnesses said, but nearby residential buildings were also damaged. "The two terrorist explosions caused greater damage to the adjacent residential buildings and the cars parked nearby," a statement from the Interior Ministry said.

According to official figures, a total of 27 people were killed while 140 others were injured, including civilians and law enforcement personnel. The figures could not be independently verified due to reporting restrictions in the capital, but footage aired on state-run television showed damaged buildings, destroyed vehicles and heavily burned corpses.

It was not immediately known who was behind the attack as the Syrian government has accused 'terrorists' while the opposition has accused the government of staging terrorist attacks to justify its deadly crackdown against the uprising. Since the start of the uprising in March 2011, at least 3,800 people have died as a result of violence, according to government figures, but opposition activists claim the actual number has already surpassed 8,500.

Unrest has increasingly spread to Damascus which was the scene of three other suicide bombings in recent months, At least 26 people were killed and more than 60 others were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a school in the al-Midan neighborhood of Damascus on January 6. It followed two suicide bombings which targeted Syrian government buildings on December 23, killing 44 people and injuring 166.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-03-18