Damascus explosions: in pictures

At least 40 people have been killed and 170 wounded after a double explosion in the Syrian capital.

By Samira Shackle Published 10 May 2012
New Statesman

Dozens have been killed and wounded after a twin blast hit the Syrian capital of Damascus today.

Here, Syrians survey the damage. The explosions took place on the southern edge of the city, in a district which houses a military intelligence complex which has been central to President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on the 14 month uprising against his rule.

A forensic expert extracts human remains from a car. State media blamed "terrorists" and showed pictures of dead bodies and destroyed vehicles. The opposition to Assad, which began as peaceful protest, has become increasingly miiltarised.

Norwegian Major General Robert Mood, the head of the UN observers mission in Syria, arrives to inspect the site. A UN brokered ceasefire was due to come into force four weeks ago but the bloodshed has continued.

Members of the Syrian security forces shout slogans as they inspect the damage.

Tags: Syria      

 
 

5 comments

Tussant's picture

Fri, 2012-05-11 12:02 — Tussant (not verified)

I seem to remember that when Hamas and Islamic Jihad were carrying out suicide-bombings like this against Jewish kids on school buses or in pizza restaurants, Islamists in the UK, Galloway, Livingstone, the NS, Mehd Hasan et al were all saying that these were acts of resistance and that we should empathize with the suicide bombers and look to 'root causes.'
Well, I've looked at the carnage in Syria where moslem fanatics are killing each other and I'm thinking these are heroic acts of resistance and I'm sympathising with the suicide bombers.

R Harris's picture

Mon, 2012-05-14 15:33 — R Harris (not verified)

I would suggest that the photographs do not show "moslem fanatics... killing each other" - because actually the world is mystified as to what these explosions mean. No one has claimed responsibility, so how Tussant knows that these bombs were placed by "moslem fanatics" to kill "moslem fanatics" is rather beyond me and perhaps he/she has information which no one else in the world blessed with.

What the pictures show are innocent people killed by bombs. We don't know who planted the bombs, and actually we don't know who the people killed are.

To attempt to make cheap, nasty anti-Islamic capital out of this horrific event is tawdry - as is the sentence, written by Tussand "in Syria where moslem fanatics are killing each other" - as this most certainly is very far from the truth and no more than Tussant's wishful thinking.

Coleridge's picture

Fri, 2012-05-11 12:46 — Coleridge (not verified)

What an obscene comment you make Tussant. Didn't you know that terror attacks against Jews even kids is seen by many especially the Islamists on this site as entirely acceptable and legitimate. But when Islamists slaughter each other that is very different, very sad and regrettable!!! Tuttutut for not being islamically politically correct.

Coleridge's picture

Fri, 2012-05-11 12:45 — Coleridge (not verified)

What an obscene comment you make Tussant. Didn't you know that terror attacks against Jews even kids is seen by many especially the Islamists on this site as entirely acceptable and legitimate. But when Islamists slaughter each other that is very different, very sad and regrettable!!! Tuttutut for not being islamically politically correct.

Notimagain's picture

Fri, 2012-05-11 02:15 — Notimagain (not verified)

Following on from the previous childish war-lies- WMD/ 40 minute missiles/'they hate our freedumzz'/ babies thrown from incubators etc, the powers-that-be has 'advanced' its game from childish to infantile: the BBC, along with much of the MSM trotting out the tinfoil-hat conspiracy theory 'The Assad 'regime' (why do baddies always have a 'regime'?) is blowing itself up to gain sympathy!
I bet them evil Nazizzz bombed Dresden and Berlin for the same reason. And as for Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Were these the biggest self bombing in history?
Who scripts these inane scenarios which the media dutifully relays to its consumers without question?
I find the tone of the war-lies reminiscent of the ones trotted out during the 'Cast lead' atrocities by the excruciating Mark Regev-'They were bombing their own children to gain sympathy.'
I suspect that these latest terrorist explosions may turn out to have been planned by British government undercover agents- the truth will emerge eventually.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIu3YBzOL0c

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