Car bomb annihilates Damascus gas station, killing at least 11

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Published time: January 03, 2013 22:27
Edited time: January 04, 2013 14:04

Wreckage and debris are seen after a car bomb exploded at a crowded petrol station in Barzeh al-Balad district in Damascus, in this handout photograph released by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 3, 2013 (Reuters / SANA)

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At least 11 people have been killed and 40 injured after a car blast ripped through a gas station near a hospital in Damascus' Barzeh al-Balad district. The number of casualties is likely to rise as many of the injured are in critical condition.

The blast took place near Hamish Hospital at the Qassioun Petrol station, which was packed with people waiting in line for fuel, Syrian state news agency SANA reports.

Local al-Ikhbariya TV has broadcast footage showing at least ten burnt bodies and Red Cross medics working at the scene.

A local told Reuters that he saw ambulances loading burnt bodies and wounded people with severe burns.

“The station is usually packed even when it has no fuel,” the resident said, as cited by Reuters. “There are lots of people who sleep there overnight, waiting for early morning fuel consignments.”

The explosion was caused by a “a booby-trapped car,” according to a statement by the opposition Revolution Leadership Council in Damascus. SANA confirms it was a terrorist attack.

So far no one has claimed responsibility.

The tragedy comes just a day after a blast at another packed Damascus gas station killed at least 30 people. Graphic videos posted to YouTube show a large number of bodies either burnt or dismembered. Activists claimed that fighter jets had bombarded the area as a fuel truck arrived and crowds packed the station. There has been no official government comment on the incident.

Men stand amidst wreckage and debris, after a car bomb exploded at a crowded petrol station in Barzeh al-Balad district in Damascus, in this handout photograph released by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 3, 2013 (Reuters / SANA)

Comments (48)

Captain Obvious (unregistered) 05.01.2013 19:01

FWIW (for whatever its worth). I have changed my mind since reading Lebanese papers and think this was a rebel bombing. Lebanese papers are better informed than western or russian press. They say this was a pro-baath alawi neighborhood.

Unless the bus in photo was transporting shabiha then this also marks a dark spot in revolution. The rebels have not targeted fellow syrian civilians and any rebels caught making attacks against civilians have been punished by rebel commanders ... baath, security, and shabiha not so much. Many reports of field executions on those with bloody hands.

I take this as an indication that rebels are getting closer to the breaking point where they will begin to retaliate for regime atrocities. Assad has been killing 150 people a day. The extended family in Syria is very large. You can't just kill that many people and not expect to eventually get bombed back. This is a bad thing. If it is a rebel bomb and rebel commanders allow it to go unpunished then Syria continues to inch towards a killing fields/cultural revolution scenario.

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Captain Obvious (unregistered) 05.01.2013 16:23

Renae wrote in #6
This, of course, is par for course for terrorists supported by the US. I hope the Syrian Army annihilates all that vermin. And I feel a heavy burden as a US citizen that my tax dollars are responsible for mass atrocities in countries most US citizens couldn't find on a map with an arrow pointing to said nation.
************ ****I doubt you are american. if you were, then you would know that US is not liked in Syria. They promised money and weapons but never deliver. They allow Russia to block rebels while sending weapons to assad and do nothing but talk-talk. Then they label one of the revolution's best fighting units as terrorist and try to block it from national councils. Assad is killing over 150 people a day with bombs and artillery - do you think Syrians care what america thinks? All they see is someone without the courage to get involved but still trying to control the situation. If you were american I think you would know this.

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Renae 04.01.2013 18:22

This, of course, is par for course for terrorists supported by the US. I hope the Syrian Army annihilates all that vermin. And I feel a heavy burden as a US citizen that my tax dollars are responsible for mass atrocities in countries most US citizens couldn't find on a map with an arrow pointing to said nation.

Undo

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