Syria: Dozens killed in huge Damascus explosions

Syria's conflict started in March 2011 with mass protests calling for political reform. The government swiftly cracked down, dispatching tanks, troops, snipers and pro-government thugs to quash dissent, and many members of the opposition took up arms to defend themselves and attack government troops. Many soldiers also switched sides.

There was no claim of responsibility for Thursday's blasts. But an al Qaeda-inspired group has claimed responsibility for several past explosions, raising fears that terrorist groups are entering the fray and exploiting the chaos.

The U.N. said weeks ago that more than 9,000 people had been killed. Hundreds more have died since.

International diplomacy has failed to stop the bloodshed, and the U.N. has ruled out military intervention of the type that helped bring down Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, in part out of fear that it could exacerbate the violence.

Special envoy Kofi Annan brokered a peace plan last month, but the initiative has been troubled from the start, with government troops shelling opposition areas and rebels attacking military convoys and checkpoints after the cease-fire was supposed to begin on April 12. Many civilians have grown critical of the plan, saying it does not protect them from regime forces.

Although the daily death toll has dropped in recent days, Annan said Tuesday that the level of violence is unacceptable and that the plan's failure could lead to civil war.

A team of 70 U.N. military observers now in Syria should grow to more than 100 in the coming days. A full team of 300 is expected by the end of the month to oversee a cease-fire intended to allow for talks on a political solution to the conflict.

On Wednesday, a roadside bomb hit a Syrian military truck in a southern province just seconds after the head of the U.N. observer team was driving by in a convoy, demonstrating the fragility of the international plan to end the country's bloodshed.

In Washington, meanwhile, President Barack Obama took steps to extend sanctions against Assad's government, saying Syria poses an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and diplomatic goals.

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[samXXkiley]

coucou,
Bashar and his army of shame are perfidious. their attempts to mislead
international opinion are useless.
Syrian people will have the last word.
"au revoir"

[Larry732]

Don't worry. China and Russia have the backs of the Syrian people. Our staying out of this one is a good thing. The entire world can see how effective China and Russia are when it comes to the protection of innocent civilian lives.

I can't wait till it's over and we can all hear how China and Russia explain their horribly flawed stance.

Assad is as much a world criminal as Ahmedumbijad, Saddam, or Bin Laden.

[alinrodneyvil]

And that senile old idiot McCain wants us to get into that mess. We can't even tell who the players are.

[melpol12]

The type of explosives used in the blast could only be supplied by the Assad intelligence service. They will kill some of their underlings as an accuse to crackdown on the opposition.

[alinrodneyvil]

And how do you know this? How do you know what kind of explosives were used? Did someone call and tell you? You're just making that up aren't you?

[azereta]

Syria I feel for you, get those terrorists and jail them. The so called friends of Syria are there to create terror and death and they have an agenda, nasty pieces of work.

[Larry732]

@solsrister, I am very impressed with your mastery of the English language. Please dazzle us with more of it!

[stormerF69]

This will really lead to a cease fire from the regime? Maybe the rebels do not want a cease fire or is randomly killing anyone in the near proximity of a bomb collateral damage and boo hoo? Hopefully Assad will put this trash down soon and get on with business, keeping the US out of it.

[myronfagan]

It has nothing to do with Assad cracking down on terrorists. that is propaganda. The problem is the same of Libya.. CIA, MI6, Mossad supporting agents to attack and create havoc until they take over another country for the international government. Instead of oversight of Assad, how about oversight of the rebels and who is supporting them

[azereta]

I agree,

[smittyc]

The Middle East has gotten totally out of hand and Syria is under attack from terrorist who Obama now appears to be supporting. The United States has lost the support of Libya and Egypt, both countries populations now supporting the muslim brotherhood. The military in these countries is all that is holding the populations at bay and at gunpoint.