This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/world/middleeast/syria-war-developments.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Syrian Prime Minister Escapes Assassination Bid Syrian Prime Minister Escapes Assassin’s Bomb
(about 9 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — In the latest reported attack on a high-ranking Syrian official, Prime Minister Wael Nader al-Halqi survived what appeared to be an assassination attempt Monday in an upscale neighborhood of the capital, Damascus, when a car bomb exploded near his convoy, according to state-run media and opposition reports saying that a bodyguard was killed. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Prime Minister Wael Nader al-Halqi of Syria escaped what appeared to be an assassination attempt on Monday in an upscale neighborhood of Damascus, where a car bomb exploded near his convoy, according to state-run media and opposition accounts. The blast was the latest in a series of attacks on high-ranking Syrians targeted by insurgents in the civil war.
The reports said the attack had taken place in Mezze, a central district where many senior officials live. The prime minister was reportedly unhurt, though the state news media said others had been injured. Video on state television showed a car reduced to a charred skeleton and, nearby, a bus with its windows shattered. The bombing took place in Mezze, a central district of the Syrian capital where many senior officials live, and at least one opposition account said a bodyguard had been killed. The state media reported injuries, but said the prime minister was unhurt. Video on state television showed a car’s charred skeleton and, nearby, a bus with its windows shattered.
The assault fit a pattern of attempts to attack high officials. Less than two weeks ago, another official — Ali Balan, the government’s chief coordinator of emergency aid distribution to civilians — was killed by gunmen with silencer-equipped weapons at a restaurant in the same heavily guarded neighborhood, close to buildings housing government and military institutions. The assault fit a pattern of attempts to attack high officials and religious figures close to President Bashar al-Assad. Less than two weeks ago, another official — Ali Balan, the government’s chief coordinator of emergency aid distribution to civilians — was killed by gunmen with silencer-equipped weapons at a restaurant in the same heavily guarded neighborhood, close to buildings housing government and military institutions.
Last July, an explosion at a security headquarters in the Syrian capital killed or wounded several key aides loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, who has been fighting a growing revolt that began with street protests in March 2011 and has escalated into a bloody civil war with insurgents battling for positions across the land, including the outskirts of Damascus. In March, a large bomb hit a central Damascus mosque and killed at least 42 people including Syria’s top Sunni cleric, Sheik Mohammad Said Ramada al-Bouti, who was an early supporter of Mr. Assad’s side in the conflict.
State television in Syria called the attack a “terrorist explosion” that was “an attempt to target the convoy of the prime minister.” Terrorist is the word used by the authorities to depict their armed adversaries. State television said the prime minister was “well and not hurt at all,” Reuters reported, but his condition could not immediately be independently confirmed. Last July, an explosion at a security headquarters in the Syrian capital killed or wounded several key aides loyal to President Assad, who has been fighting a growing revolt that began with street protests in March 2011 and has escalated into a bloody civil war with insurgents battling for positions across the land, including the outskirts of Damascus.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain and draws information from a network of opposition sources inside Syria, said initial reports showed that a bodyguard had been killed. State television in Syria called the attack a “terrorist explosion” that was “an attempt to target the convoy of the prime minister.” The Syrian authorities use the term terrorist as a generic description of all armed opponents.
Mr. Halqi has been part of an effort by President Assad to wage an energized diplomatic campaign to persuade the United States that it is on the wrong side of the civil war.Mr. Halqi has been part of an effort by President Assad to wage an energized diplomatic campaign to persuade the United States that it is on the wrong side of the civil war.
“We are partners in fighting terrorism,” Mr. Halqi said of the United States in a recent interview.“We are partners in fighting terrorism,” Mr. Halqi said of the United States in a recent interview.
At the United Nations on Monday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with the leader of his newly appointed fact-finding panel on suspected chemical weapons use in Syria and reiterated his request that the Syrian government allow it to enter the country.At the United Nations on Monday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with the leader of his newly appointed fact-finding panel on suspected chemical weapons use in Syria and reiterated his request that the Syrian government allow it to enter the country.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Ban said that the panel’s leader, Ake Sellstrom, and his experts “remain ready to deploy to Syria within 24 to 48 hours” of consent by the Syrian government, which requested the panel last month. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Ban said the panel’s leader, Ake Sellstrom, and his experts “remain ready to deploy to Syria within 24 to 48 hours” of consent by the Syrian government, which requested the panel last month.
The trip has been stalled over Syria’s objections to giving the panel unlimited access to all suspected sites of chemical weapons use. Syria has insisted that the panel investigate only one suspected attack, outside Aleppo on March 19, in which it contends that insurgents used chemical agents.The trip has been stalled over Syria’s objections to giving the panel unlimited access to all suspected sites of chemical weapons use. Syria has insisted that the panel investigate only one suspected attack, outside Aleppo on March 19, in which it contends that insurgents used chemical agents.
Mr. Ban also told reporters that he took “very seriously” an assessment by United States intelligence agencies, disclosed last week, that concluded with varying degrees of certainty that chemical weapons had been used in the Syrian conflict.Mr. Ban also told reporters that he took “very seriously” an assessment by United States intelligence agencies, disclosed last week, that concluded with varying degrees of certainty that chemical weapons had been used in the Syrian conflict.
“On-site activities are essential if the United Nations is to be able to establish the facts and clear up all the doubts surrounding this issue,” Mr. Ban said. Unverified reports by the opposition of the Syrian military’s chemical weapons use have proliferated in recent weeks. Even as Mr. Ban was speaking at the United Nations, anti-Assad activist groups said military aircraft had dropped an unspecified chemical on the town of Saraqeb in northwestern Syria, with at least 10 people on the ground suffering severe respiratory problems. These accounts could not be independently corroborated.
In Jerusalem, a former defense minister of Israel said in an interview with The Associated Press that he believed that some chemical weapons had been transferred by the Syrian government to Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese group that Israel and the United States consider to be a terrorist organization. The former defense minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, did not supply any evidence for his assertion, which did not represent an official assessment. The United Nations has estimated that the conflict has killed more than 70,000 people, left 6.8 million in need, displaced 4.25 million inside the country and forced about 1.4 million to flee to neighboring countries. Aid agencies of the United Nations and nonprofit charitable groups have expressed growing alarm that vast numbers of needy inside Syria are not getting any assistance, partly because the Syrian government is restricting access to insurgent-occupied areas.

Anne Barnard reported from Beirut, Lebanon, and Alan Cowell from London. Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad contributed reporting from Beirut, and Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations.

Oxfam, one of the biggest aid organizations, said in a statement released Monday night that it now considered a response to the Syria crisis its No. 1 priority. “The world risks failing the people of Syria at a time when they most need our help,” Mark Goldring, Oxfam’s chief executive, said.

Anne Barnard reported from Beirut, and Alan Cowell from London. Reporting was contributed by Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad from Beirut, Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations, and Rick Gladstone from New York.