16/08/12

Burnt vehicles are seen after a bomb exploded at a military site near a hotel used by United Nations monitors in Damascus August 15, 2012. REUTERS

A bomb attached to a fuel truck exploded outside a hotel in Damascus, wounding at least three people. The U.N. observers are staying in this hotel at the Syrian capital, reported by Syrian state TV on Wednesday.

The report said the explosion took place near the parking area of Syrian government general staff headquarter in Damascus. The U.N. observer mission in Syria did not suffered casualties.

Later on, bombs also went off at the parking lot of the Syrian Army General Staff building, Syrian State TV reported.

Several ambulances rushed to the scene and a security cordon was set up.

For it’s part, the Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for a blast which they said targeted a military meeting in an office in Damascus, Reuters news reported.

The Free Syrian Army commander Maher al-Nuaimi, head of the Coordination Office of the FSA, said: “The operation by the FSA at the office of the General Staff has been planned by experts to take place at 8:05 during a meeting of officers and Shabbiha (pro-regime gangs) leaders,” he said.

“This operation aims to boost the morale of the FSA and tells Bashar al-Assad and his command we can conduct well-studied operations as we know what is happening in their ranks,” he added.

“I do not know how many people were there, but the meeting was attended by 10 officers in charge of suppressing the demonstrations in Damascus,” he added.

Clashes broke out in the immediate aftermath of the bombing. A large number of casualties, including fatalities, were reported.

Meanwhile, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad toured the area of the blast and assured the U.N. observers of prompt action so as to tighten security around them, reported Syrian TV.

Furthermore, shots were also heard Wednesday afternoon near the building housing the offices of the Prime Minister in Damascus. A shootout was reported between soldiers and the Free Syrian Army fighters in the area of al-Mazze, near the offices of the Prime Minister and a new building under construction near the Iranian embassy.

However, Damascus has been rocked by several bomb blasts, including an attack last month at the national security headquarters that killed defense minister Daoud Rajiha; interior minister Mohammed al-Shaar; the head of the national security, General Hisham Ikhtiyar; General Hassan Turkmani, chief of crisis operations; and the president’s confidant and brother-in-law, Assef Shawkat, who also served as deputy defense minister. That bombing was also attributed to the Free Syrian Army fighters.

Opinion:

Conclusion: The Free Syrian Army does not spread fake threats. Assad should understand that it is better for him to look for another place other than Syria to spend the rest of his life . His future, if he stays in Syria, is for sure well known to everyone.