Syria saw continued turmoil on Thursday, when twin suicide car bombs went off in the capital city of Damascus, shattering a cease-fire the country was tentatively holding on to.
The suicide car bombers killed 55 people, wounding 372 in the deadliest attacks in the city since an uprising against current president Bashar al-Assad began over a year ago.
The attacks were condemned by several agencies around the world, as well as Kofi Annan, the international mediator who declared a ceasefire in the country on April 12th. Since that ceasefire, 849 people (628 civilians and 221 soldiers) had been killed since the ceasefire was announced, not including Thursday’s tragedy.
The attacks further proved to Syria’s foreign ministry that the Arab state is facing terrorism funded abroad. They urged the U.N. Security Council to combat the countries and/or groups who are supporting the continued violence.
The state agency, SANA quoted a ministry letter to the U.N. department, saying:
“Syria stresses the importance of the UNSC taking measures against countries, groups and news agencies that are practicing and encouraging terrorism.”
Major-General Robert Mood, the leader of the U.N. monitors, said after visiting the scene that:
“This (Thursday’s attacks) is yet another example of the suffering brought upon the people of Syria from acts of violence.”
White House spokesman Jay Carney made the following statement about the Damascus suicide car bombings:
“There are clearly extremist elements in Syria, as we have said all along, who are trying to take advantage of the chaos in that country, chaos brought about by Assad’s brutal assault on his own people.”
Violence has continued, despite Annan’s ceasefire, which is backed by the E.U., U.N., and the United States.
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