87 dead in two rocket explosions at Aleppo University as students take exams

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Published time: January 15, 2013 13:02
Edited time: January 16, 2013 14:30

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), shows the scene of an explosion outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / Sana)

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Bill Dod, Blast, Conflict, Paula Slier, Syria, Violence

At least 87 people have been killed and more than 160 injured in two rocket explosions at the University of Aleppo in Syria’s largest city on Tuesday, city officials reported.

According to a Syrian official quoted by SANA, two rocket shells were fired at the university complex.

Aleppo’s governor Mohammed Wahid Akkad called the rocket strikes a “terrorist attack that targeted students on their first day of exams.”

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed two explosions hit the university. The second blast may have been caused by a burning car, though there has been no independent confirmation, Reuters reports.

The university is located in a government-controlled territory.

Aleppo is Syria's largest city and has been fiercely contested between government forces and rebel fighters, who have battled to a stalemate in the strategically important region.

Rebels have previously previously carried out bomb attacks against government targets in the city.

At least 34 people were killed last October after a string of blasts ripped through Aleppo's main square.

A Syrian man stands in the debris following an explosion outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / STR)

Damaged vehicles are seen outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, following an explosion on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / STR)

Syrian's gather at the scene of an explosion outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / STR)

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), shows people inspecting the scene of an explosion outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / Sana)

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), shows the scene of an explosion outside Aleppo University, between the university dormitories and the architecture faculty, on January 15, 2013 (AFP Photo / Sana)

Comments (137)

johnk 23.01.2013 22:36

syrians.hate.russia wrote in #17
see the Assadi MiG air force fighter shelling the university ------ -------Can't see it. In fact, all I can see is smoke that appears to come after an explosion. The video includes audio that sounds kinda like a flying jet. That means either the jet was passing by (but not necessarily dr opping bombs) or the audio of the jet was added to the video (more fabrications from the desperate terrorists).

Either way, this is not evidence of nothing.

Undo

jha (unregistered) 17.01.2013 20:48

Russia and China want dialogue between Syrians to solve the crisis and put an end to the bloodshed...

Americans-brits-Fren ch-Saudis-Qataris want to change the regime of a sovereign country through terrorism...and civil war...

Syrian s witnessed what happened in Iraq and Lybia....after the West destroys an Arab regime...they leave behind them only chaos...Syrians know that.

Undo

syrians.hate.russia 17.01.2013 20:14

johnk wrote in #14
There are trolls spreading rumours about "eyewitnesses who saw the MiG fighter", and a very weak youtube video that shows smoke after the explosion, being used by some simple minded people as "evidence" of an airstrike.
In order to be willing to spread such ridiculously unbelievable lies, these individuals must be completely desperate, completely brainwashed, completely stupid, or a combination of the above.
The terrorist Al-Nusra group (a branch of Al-Qaeda) has admitted responsibility for this atrocity. Their main role in this so-called "revolution" and connections to the terrorist FSA group is well known by all.
I really don't want to discuss with an inhuman like you, believing RT is enough to be classified as mental retarded. All my friends and family members in Syria said that it was an airstrike, some of them were there and they don't care about the Russian viewpoint of what happened. To Russia and China: WE WILL NOT FORGET, WE WILL NOT FORGIVE.PS: al -Nusra group had not admitted responsibility, they said that this admission was faked by Assad's regime. Al-Qaeda terrorism is equivalent to the Russian terrorism by sponsoring a criminal like Assad.

Undo

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