Syria Rocked by Powerful Blasts: 55 Killed, 372 Injured

Syria Rocked by Powerful Blasts: 55 Killed, 372 Injured

Two powerful blasts hit the Syrian capital on Thursday, killing and wounding dozens of people.

State TV said that 40 people were martyred and 170 others were injured.

“Two terrorist explosions hit Damascus near al-Qazaz intersection at the southern ring-road”, state news agency, SANA, said, adding that the explosions “took place at a densely populated area as they coincided with the employees and the students are going to their jobs and schools”.

Television footage at the site of the blasts showed an apocalyptic scene with charred bodies and the carcasses of vehicles with smoke still rising from them.

STOP BLOODSHED

The Head of the UN mission in Syria, Major General Robert Mood appealed for help to stop the bloodshed in the country, as he visited the site of the attacks.

"This is yet another example of the suffering brought upon the people of Syria from acts of violence", the Norwegian general said as he visited the site of one of the blasts.

"We, the world community, are here with the Syrian people and I call on everyone within and outside Syria to help stop this violence", he said, according to a statement.

Mood surveyed the damage left by the explosions which came just a day after the Norwegian general escaped unharmed when a roadside bomb exploded as he led a team of UN observers into the southern flashpoint city of Daraa.

Six Syrian soldiers escorting them were reportedly hurt in Wednesday's bombing.

Gen. Mood: Calls on All Those Who Stand Behind These Explosions to Stop these Heinous Acts

May 10, 2012

DAMASCUS, (SANA)-General Robert Mood, Head of the UN Observers Mission to Syria, offered his heartfelt condolences to the Syrian people and to the bereaved families of the victims .

Gen. Mood, in a press statement at the site of the two explosions, called on all those who stand behind these explosions, whether they are inside Syria or outside, to realize that such explosions cause but the more of suffering to the Syrians, and that they should stop these heinous acts and give a chance to the Syrians to go forward in a peaceful direction without having the innocents being killed.

H. Zain/ al-Ibrahim

Tens of Martyrs and Wounded Civilians in Two Terrorist Explosions in Damascus

May 10, 2012

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Two terrorist explosions hit Damascus Thursday morning near al-Qazaz crowded intersection at the southern ring-road .

The explosions took place at a densely populated area as they coincided with the employees and students going to their jobs and schools.

The two terrorist explosions caused tens of martyrs and wounded civilians ; a big carter is seen in the place of the explosions and the chassis of burned cars and means of transport scatter over all the targeted area.

Minister of Health Dr. Wael Al-Halaqi stated to Syrian TV , al-Ikhbariya Station that as a preliminary death toll there are more than 40 martyrs, 170 wounded and 8 sacks of torn-off limbs.

Meanwhile, the UN observers team inspected the site of the two terrorist attacks.