Syrian car bombing blamed on ‘terrorists’

The report from SANA gave no information on casualties or damage. It appeared to be the second attack in two days in cities where the regime enjoys strong support.

Mohammed Saeed, an Aleppo resident, said a car bomb exploded near the Political Security Directorate in the city’s central neighbourhood of Suleimaniyeh. He said the neighbourhood has a large Christian population.

Saeed said the explosion in Aleppo occurred at 1pm local time (11am GMT) and security forces started shooting in the air and cordoned off the area to prevent people from approaching.

He said at that hour of the day, the area is usually crowded with people, especially on a Sunday, the first day of Syria’s working week.

“It was a strong explosion. It shook parts of the city,” Mr Saeed said.

“White smoke was billowing from the area.”

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on an activist network in Syria, also said it was a car bomb. It said dead and injured were reported but gave no numbers.

The explosion followed three suicide bombings in the capital, Damascus, on Saturday that killed 27 people. The government blamed them on the opposition, which it says is made up of “terrorist” groups acting on behalf of a foreign conspiracy.

Some opposition leaders accused the regime of complicity in the attacks to tarnish the reputation of the uprising. No group has claimed responsibility.

Both cities are considered strongholds for President Bashar Assad and have remained relatively insulated from the unrest affecting much of the country since the start of a popular uprising against the authoritarian Assad regime a year ago.

The UN says more then 8,000 people have been killed.