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| Syrian military building rocked by twin blasts | Syrian military building rocked by twin blasts |
| (12 days later) | |
| Two large explosions have heavily damaged one of Syria's main military buildings, engulfing several floors in flames and sending smoke billowing over central Damascus. | Two large explosions have heavily damaged one of Syria's main military buildings, engulfing several floors in flames and sending smoke billowing over central Damascus. |
| The explosions, shortly after 7am local time (4am GMT) on Wednesday, have been followed by sustained bursts of gunfire in the surrounding area. Rebel groups immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said had killed dozens. | The explosions, shortly after 7am local time (4am GMT) on Wednesday, have been followed by sustained bursts of gunfire in the surrounding area. Rebel groups immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said had killed dozens. |
| Syria's ministry of information said there were no casualties from the blasts, which had caused "material damage" only. | Syria's ministry of information said there were no casualties from the blasts, which had caused "material damage" only. |
| Iranian Press TV said one of its correspondents, 33-year-old Maya Nasser, a Syrian national, died in an exchange of fire in the area following the blasts. | Iranian Press TV said one of its correspondents, 33-year-old Maya Nasser, a Syrian national, died in an exchange of fire in the area following the blasts. |
| Footage showed the blaze consuming the low-rise building near Umayyad Square in the heart of the capital. | Footage showed the blaze consuming the low-rise building near Umayyad Square in the heart of the capital. |
| Since early in the summer, rebel groups have tried to erode pillars of Syria's formidable police state by targeting key personnel and visible symbols of its power. | Since early in the summer, rebel groups have tried to erode pillars of Syria's formidable police state by targeting key personnel and visible symbols of its power. |
| The attack appears to fit a pattern first set in mid-July, when rebels in Damascus planted a bomb in a national security meeting not far from the scene of Wednesday's blast. That attack killed the security tsar, Assef Shawkat, who had played a lead role in the crackdown on the country's popular uprising. Syria's defence minister and another key security figure were also killed. | The attack appears to fit a pattern first set in mid-July, when rebels in Damascus planted a bomb in a national security meeting not far from the scene of Wednesday's blast. That attack killed the security tsar, Assef Shawkat, who had played a lead role in the crackdown on the country's popular uprising. Syria's defence minister and another key security figure were also killed. |
| Rebel groups launched a co-ordinated assault on Syria's two leading cities, Damascus and Aleppo, the day after the 18 July blast and both cities have since been consumed by violence. However, opposition forces have been unable to hold gains they made in the capital while trying to fight as a standing army and have instead resorted to insurgency tactics. | Rebel groups launched a co-ordinated assault on Syria's two leading cities, Damascus and Aleppo, the day after the 18 July blast and both cities have since been consumed by violence. However, opposition forces have been unable to hold gains they made in the capital while trying to fight as a standing army and have instead resorted to insurgency tactics. |
| Homemade bombs are increasingly being used by rebels as potent weapons, particularly against military targets in and around Damascus, where daily death tolls have for the past month been at highs not seen since the start of the uprising more than 18 months ago. | Homemade bombs are increasingly being used by rebels as potent weapons, particularly against military targets in and around Damascus, where daily death tolls have for the past month been at highs not seen since the start of the uprising more than 18 months ago. |
| Civil war is now raging in most parts of Syria, with regional leaders and the international community warning that an already grave situation is continuing to deteriorate. | Civil war is now raging in most parts of Syria, with regional leaders and the international community warning that an already grave situation is continuing to deteriorate. |
| On Tuesday, the emir of Qatar, which is backing some sections of the rebel Free Syrian Army, for the first time called for unilateral Arab intervention in Syria in a bid to stop the fighting, which has increasingly pitted regional heavyweights directly against each other. | On Tuesday, the emir of Qatar, which is backing some sections of the rebel Free Syrian Army, for the first time called for unilateral Arab intervention in Syria in a bid to stop the fighting, which has increasingly pitted regional heavyweights directly against each other. |
| Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose armed forces have supplied some weapons to rebel forces from Turkey, said: "I think that it is better for the Arab countries themselves to interfere out of their national, humanitarian, political and military duties and do what is necessary to stop the bloodshed in Syria." | Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose armed forces have supplied some weapons to rebel forces from Turkey, said: "I think that it is better for the Arab countries themselves to interfere out of their national, humanitarian, political and military duties and do what is necessary to stop the bloodshed in Syria." |
| Speaking at the United Nations general assembly in New York, the emir said a precedent for such an intervention had been set more than three decades ago. "We had a similar precedent when Arab forces intervened in Lebanon in the mid-70s … to stop internal fighting there in a step that proved to be effective and useful." | Speaking at the United Nations general assembly in New York, the emir said a precedent for such an intervention had been set more than three decades ago. "We had a similar precedent when Arab forces intervened in Lebanon in the mid-70s … to stop internal fighting there in a step that proved to be effective and useful." |
| The UN security council has been unable to advance a western-backed push for unspecified action against Syria, with Russia and China using veto votes to oppose three resolutions. | The UN security council has been unable to advance a western-backed push for unspecified action against Syria, with Russia and China using veto votes to oppose three resolutions. |
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