Damascus: Dozens Killed in yet another Jihadist terrorist attack

Twin bomb blasts in the Syrian capital of Damascus have killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 170, Syrian state television said.

The rush-hour explosions destroyed dozens of cars on a highway and damaged an intelligence complex involved in president Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on a 14-month-old uprising, according to Syrian state television.

Syrian television blamed "terrorists" for the blasts, the deadliest to hit the capital since the revolt began.

One of the explosions wreaked damage over a wide area, punching a crater 3 metres deep into the tarmac.

The explosions occurred a day after a bomb blast near United Nations observers monitoring a ceasefire deal - which state forces and rebels have both violated - and two weeks after authorities said a suicide bomber killed at least nine people in Damascus.

"This is yet another example of the suffering brought upon the people of Syria from acts of violence," said Major General Robert Mood, the head of the UN monitors who toured the site.

"We have seen it here in Damascus and we have seen it in other cities and villages across the country... I call on everyone within and outside Syria to help stop this violence."

Opposition to Mr Assad, which began with peaceful protests in March last year, has grown increasingly militarised and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon told the UN General Assembly this week he was worried by an "alarming upsurge" in bombings.

Damascus residents said Thursday's explosions struck in the same area almost simultaneously, shortly before 8:00am (local time).

Video footage sent to media by activists showed two columns of smoke, one of them forming a dark heavy cloud.

State television showed the crater in the city's southern ring road and at least one overturned truck.

Walls of buildings on either side of the wide avenue had collapsed.
Shooting could be heard in the background of the footage, filmed shortly after the blasts.

'Is this freedom?'

A man walking around the wreckage pointed at the charred remains of cars.

"Is this freedom?" he said.


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