Bombs attached to military bus kill at least 14 in Syrian capital
Beirut, Oct 20 (EFE).- At least 14 people died Wednesday when two explosive devices attached to a military bus went off in Damascus, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
It was the first attack in Damascus in several years that left three others wounded.
SANA said the bombs exploded when the military bus was crossing Jisr al-Rais in the heart of the Syrian capital.
“The bus was targeted with two explosive devices (attached) previously, which led to the death of 14 (people),” the news agency said, quoting an unnamed military source.
The news agency did not specify if the victims were military personnel or civilians were among them.
It, however, released images of the badly damaged.
The official media said the security forces defused a third explosive device that fell off the bus after the two explosions.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based nonprofit, warned that the death toll could increase because “several wounded” were critical.
Interior Minister Mohammad al-Rahmoun said the attack “came after eliminating terrorism from most of the Syrian territory.”
“Those who plotted this coward attack wanted to inflict harm on the largest possible number of citizens,” he said.
“We will continue to pursue terrorists who committed this heinous crime wherever they are.”
The Syrian capital did not witness such an attack in more than three years since troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad regained control of the eastern Ghouta region, a former opposition stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus.
The capital does suffer from time to time bombing due to Israeli airstrikes, even as most of the projectiles get intercepted by the Syrian anti-aircraft defense system.
Most of the Syrian territory is under the control of government troops.
However, fighting is on in the last opposition stronghold, the northwestern province of Idlib, and some areas of neighboring Aleppo province. EFE
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