A powerful explosion rocked a school used by security forces and pro-government militias "Shabbiha" in Damascus causing casualties, the Syrian observatory for human rights reported.
According to the Syrian opposition, explosive charges were planted inside fuel tanks in the basement of the building, and two in the second floor which housed the meeting this morning. This included more than 200 soldiers. At least one general, three colonels (including Ali Assaf) and dozens of other officers - including three women in the rank of lieutenant - were killed and dozens of others were injured, said Abu Moaz, a leader of Ansar al-Islam to Reuters news.
The attack is of strategic importance because it targeted a gathering of regime officers, soldiers and Shabbiha in the Martyrs School, Abu Moaz added.
However, Ansar al-Islam is a faction of the Free Syrian Army. This faction has already adopted several attacks, in particular on the Shabbiha whom are formed mostly from members of Assad's own Alawite sect . Shabbiha have been the fiercest enforcers of a bloody crackdown on the uprising led by Syria's majority Sunni Muslims, even accused of massacres.
According to Al-arabiya news, a strong blast at the Palestine Branch of Syrian Intelligence in Damascus, killed dozens of people including senior officers.
On the other hand, Syrian state TV said, several people had been wounded after bombs were planted by terrorists in the building of the Martyr's Sons School in Damascus, adding that the bombing caused minor damage to the building.
As usual Syrian news agency SANA denied that the school is used for military purposes.
The school is located near the Syrian intelligence, what is called the Palestine Branch. Usually schools or certain parts of it, are used as a security centers since the era of Bashar's father. Syrian people are aware of this.
Meanwhile, Damascus residents said that, smoke was billowing from the place where the explosion occurred. An activist said, ambulances were rushing to the scene, as other residents told Al-arabiya news that heavy clashes for two hours on Baghdad Street, about one kilometer away from the main Syrian intelligence headquarters.
In related news, the U.S. president, Barack Obama, has said in a speech before the U.N. General Assembly that, the regime of Bashar al-Assad must be terminated, in order to put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people.
“In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there is a cause that cries out for protest in the world today, it is a regime that tortures its children and fires rockets into apartments. We must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence", Obama said.
Opinion:
Syrian regime will never admit the facts of this bombing and will not say who was killed in the blast. They will announce that the bombing was in a school, but at the same time we will see violent events in the coming hours in Damascus as a revenge to this incident. This explosion in this vital region confirms that, the Free Syrian Army works in Damascus, which the regime claimed to be free from terrorists.
The area where the explosion occurred is home to a number of regime officials besides being near the headquarters of Syrian military intelligence.
As for Obama's statement, it is obvious that Bashar would be happy to hear this speech, especially that Obama still hopes that the solution might be the political sanctions, which apparently affecting the people and not the president and his regime.
It was possible that the sanctions would be effective if China and Russia were against Bashar regime, but unfortunately the border with Lebanon is opened, as well as with Iraq. For this, Obama must go for another way to punish Bashar regime and not the Syrian people.
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