At least 53 people have been killed and over 200 wounded in a massive car bomb blast that’s hit the Syrian capital of Damascus, according to Syrian state TV. The explosion shook a square where pro-government rallies are usually staged.
The Syrian foreign ministry has blamed the attack on al-Qaeda linked “terrorist” groups. The opposition’s Damascus media office says that the Free Syrian Army (FSA) has “denied responsibility for the blast and blamed it on the regime.”
Police indicated that the victims were mostly civilians, including at least four children. Palestinian leader Nayef Hawatma was among the injured, AFP reported.
The car bombing occurred on a busy highway close to ruling Baath Party offices and the Russian Embassy. The blast caused damage to the nearby Abdullah Bin al-Zabir school and al-Hayat Hospital.
Al-Ikhbariya TV station showed footage of what appeared to be at least four dead bodies on the ground and cars on fire.
“It was huge, everything in the shop turned upside down,” one local resident told AP on condition of anonymity.
Authorities seized a car loaded with cylinder-shaped bath water heaters filled with explosives. The person driving the car was arrested, SANA news agency reported.
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