Three new explosions hit Damascus

In a great escalation to the violence in Syria, three new blasts rocked the Syrian capital and the city of Aleppo Friday, taking the number of explosions in the two cities to more than five in less than 24 hours. Syrian News Agency (SANA) quoted an official source as saying that an armed group has detonated an explosive device in east Al-Ansari area in Aleppo causing the injury of law-enforcement members and civilians. An official source at the governorate said eight law-enforcement personnel were injured in the attack and a civilian leg was amputated. The source added that two others bombs were exploded in Damascus neighborhoods leaving two police and two civilians injured and material damages. With regard to the massive explosion that targeted Zein al-Abidin Mosque in al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus, the Ministry of Interior said the blast was a terror attack. In press statement, the Ministry said that a terrorist suicide bomber with an explosive belt blew himself up on the main road near Zein Al-Abidin Mosque in Al-Maidan neighborhood in Damascus as worshippers were leaving the mosque, killing nine, scattering human remains of two unidentified persons and injuring 26 civilians and law-enforcement members. It added that the competent authorities headed to the site and took samples of the human remains to indentify the terrorist, adding that investigations are underway to reveal the details of the attacks. Meanwhile, Syrian Revolution General Commission accused the regime standing behind Zine Al-Abidine mosque explosion. It noted that the security forces have opened fire indiscriminately on demonstrators near the mosque after the blast. The SRGC disclosed that scores have injured in the ongoing violent government repression of the anti-regime protests across the nation.