Syrian activists call for protests after 55 killed in suicide attacks

Syrian activists have called for mass anti-regime demonstrations in Damascus after at least 55 people were killed and nearly 400 hundred wounded by twin suicide attacks.

The US embassy in Beirut called the double bombing, the deadliest attacks in the capital since the uprising against Bashar al-Assad began 14 months, “reprehensive and unacceptable”.

“Residents of Damascus, rise up, liberate your city from this regime of killers,” said the The Syrian Revolution 2011 activist group on Facebook.

“The one that destroyed Homs and its residents with tanks and shells will not hesitate to destroy Damascus and to kill its residents with explosions,” the message added.

Rebel neighbourhoods of the central city of Homs came under relentless shelling by regime forces in March that left widespread destruction and hundreds dead, according to rights groups.

“The regime will not hesitate to kill all its people to attain its objective … what are you waiting for!” added the message posted after at least 55 people were killed and nearly 400 were wounded in the deadliest bombings of Syria’s 14-month uprising.

The explosions shortly before 8am on Thursday morning took place near a busy junction as children were on their way to school and employees on their way to work, the reports said.

Within minutes, gruesome pictures and video were posted online showing body parts in the streets and a mangled wreckage of cars on fire, their drivers still inside. One showed a woman’s burned hand still wearing gold bracelets clutching a steering wheel.

Residents told Reuters that the building, whose front wall was knocked away, belonged to the Palestine Military Intelligence, which despite its name is one of many state security agencies working on internal control. Most of the dead though were thought to be civilians.

Even more damage was done to what seemed to be civilian buildings in the area, whose facades were ripped clean off by the force of the blasts. A large crater was left in the road, while a lorry had come toppling over on its side.

 

Telegraph has the full article

 

 

WARNING: the following video shows more graphic detail.

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