ASIA : SYRIA : BOMBING IN DAMASCUS KILLS SEVERAL

ASIA NEWS REPORT: The two car bombs exploded outside a police headquarters and a center of aviation. Yesterday from Geneva Kofi Annan held a videoconference with the UN Security Council. So far the answers to his Syrian mediation are "disappointing". Annan hopes to involve all the Security Council in an attempt to pacify the country by stopping the violence on both sides - the army and rebels - and creating a process of democratization in Syria.


Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The state television has reported that several civilians and law enforcement officers were killed in the Syrian capital today in two explosions. The initial hypothesis is that these are two car bombings.

The locations of the two attacks are the building of the Directorate of Criminal Police and an information center for aviation. One of the two explosions occurred between Baghdad street and al-Qaasa district and the other occurred in the district of Douar al- Jamarik.

None of this information can be verified because of the restrictions on the presence of independent journalists in Syria.

The deadly attack comes two days on from the anniversary of the eruption of violence in the country which has so far claimed 8 thousand lives, also marked by several clashes between rebels and the army in many cities of Syria. President Assad insists that these attacks are fuelled by "armed gangs" and "terrorists" attempting to destabilize the country.

Meanwhile, yesterday in Geneva, the UN -Arab League envoy, Kofi Annan, on his return from Syria, had a video conference with the UN Security Council. Annan has a mandate to find a peaceful solution for the transition in Syria and in recent days met with Assad and with the rebels, as well as different high profile personalities.

The former UN secretary says his priorities are to stop the violence and killings on both sides, obtain channels for humanitarian aid and launch a political process towards a democratic Syria.

To the journalists who asked him about the responses of Assad and the rebels to his proposals, Annan said that so far the only answers are "disappointing". He hopes to push the Security Council to speak "with one voice" to force Damascus to accept the peace process. So far at the Security Council, Russia and China have vetoed all resolutions condemning (only) Damascus.

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bombing-in-Damascus-kills-civilians-and-security-forces-24261.html

Comments