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SANA via AP
Syrian security agents next to a vehicle on fire following a huge explosion in Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
SANA via Reuters
Vehicles burn near a crater on a road after an explosion in central Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013
By The Associated Press
The death toll is expected to rise in Damascus after a car bomb exploded near a security checkpoint in the downtown area of the Syrian capital. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Syrian state TV says 53 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in a car bomb attack near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party in central Damascus.
The bomb was one of at least three attacks in the heart of the city on Thursday. A second blast shook another neighborhood and mortar rounds exploded near the Syrian Army General Command.
The Britain-based activist group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 42 had been killed in the car bombing, most of them civilians.
The difference in the death tolls could not be immediately reconciled. Click here for updates on this developing story.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Pictures released by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.
SANA via EPA
A thick black pall of smoke fills the air close to the site of a large explosion in Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
SANA via EPA
Wounded men sit near destroyed cars and other damage following a large explosion in Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
SANA via AP
Syrian security agents carrying a body following a huge explosion that shook central Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
SANA via EPA
Clouds of smoke swirling around destroyed cars following a large explosion in Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
SANA via AP
An injured man lying on the ground after a huge explosion in Damascus on Feb. 21, 2013.
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A look back at the conflict that has overtaken the country.
This story was originally published on Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:25 AM EST
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The car bomb exploded in the area near the Syrian Baath Party's headquarters and Russian Embassy. Cars were destroyed as far back as 300 m. This is in the middle of Damascus. Russian Embassy building really damaged (RF Embassy staff- itar-tass). The car bomb struck a security checkpoint near RF Emb and Baath Party headqrts- in addition 2 blasts (separate) after Marzaa explosion- one in Al-Qaboun neighborhood- one hit Syrian Intel bldg. More than 50 people wounded on top of 31 dead.
I wish they would just finally get Bashar al-Assad so we can be on our way to ending this.
End? Who is going to tell them its over? Their brand of terrorism doesn't seem to be bound by borders so be assured you'll see some similar uprising in another country when the US/Saudi sponsored gangs feel satisfied and move along.
The loss of life in this war is horrific, but the destruction of infrastructure will also need to be addressed. Since the war is between the Sunni and Shiites, it seem reasonable that Saudi Arabia and Iran will pay to rebuild. Russia and China need to pitch in as well.
The Obama administration has made a wise choice in remaining steadfastly neutral in the Syrian conflict, in spite of the occasional statement "Assad should step down". The assassination of Ambassador Stevens, and the rise of the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt has severed any obligation to support the "democratic" revolutions occurring in Islamic majority countries.
Well I'm glad YOU can sleep well knowing our gov't is complicit in the arming or homicidal/suicidal maniacs through their close ally/arms buyer Saudi Arabia.
By our logic here its legitimate to arm some neighborhood gangs that can kill anyone they want just as long as they eventually kill that one guy who's dog sh!ts on your lawn.
i guess you can blame this one on the SUNNI'S! the populace should rat out the rebels!
probably al-queera, in libya the terrorist group was fighting on both sides, that is likely the case here, most of the freedom fighters (rebels) are syrians that have been oppressed by a ruthless dictator bent on using stalin's logic to all those who oppose his corrupted and evil rule, "kill and/or torture all dissent, no matter how young. Assad's aim is to take as many syrians as he can to his grave, he is only thinking of himself in his genocide against the syrian people
Please tell me somebody has condemned this act...that seems to work so well...
Isn't it funny how no one has asked how the rebels have been able to build such devastating IEDs and car bombs since the beginning of the conflict. You must realize what nation borders Syria, and what events transpired there a few years ago....Al quada and other sunni extremists tried to bring Iraq to civil war with such tactics as killing civilians and bombing public areas. But when the exact same thing happens across the border in Syria, its the government who gets the blame. And no one wonders where all the guns come from? How the rebels know how to build IEDs that can rip through a tank? And car bombs that can rip through city blocks? Its because they have experience from their murdering in Iraq, and after failing there, they are exporting their islamist "revolution" to Syria. They are made of the same group, same colors, same ideas, but they fool you into beliveing they fight for "freedom" and "democracy".
The government is to blame, this conflict started by Assad cracking down on arab spring protesters, there were no car bombings before that. Then Assad set up torture chambers all across the country to torture and in some cases kill arab spring protesters, even worse than Gadhafi, Assad torture 10 and 12 yr. olds by the hundreds and dump their burnt bodies on their parents door steps this tactic to scare off arab spring protester from protesting backfired and soon the syrians people form a new army to address Assad's brutal crackdowns and torture of syrians. This is what started this conflict not murderers from Iraq
You should stop watching Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya.
Since the rebels have realized both Iran and Russia have people on the ground in Damascus acting as death squads, their tactics have changed to reflect what seems to work better in Iran and Russia. Bashar al Assad is hiding comfortably in his ocean side villa, surrounded by his 'loyal subjects' -- citizens forced to act as human shields. Russia helps Syria fire the SCUD missiles, while Iran mans the hit squads (training for the Iranian spring).