WarSclerotic

Syrian opposition blames regime for suicide bombings – CNN.com.

(CNN) — President Bashar al-Assad’s government blamed terrorists Saturday inside and outside of Syria for dual bombings that struck the country’s capital on Friday. But the opposition called the attacks the work of the regime.

The allegations by both sides come amid one of the bloodiest periods during the months-long uprising, raising questions about whether observers from the Arab League arriving in Syria can do anything to stem the growing violence.

The United States, which has called for al-Assad to step aside and has initiated sanctions against the regime, deplored the bombings, said there “is no justification for terrorism of any kind” and expressed hope that the strike doesn’t undermine the Arab League efforts.

“It is crucial that (the) attack not impede the critical work of the Arab League monitoring mission to document and deter human rights abuses with the goal of protecting civilians,” State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Friday.

“We hope that this mission will proceed unfettered in an atmosphere of non-violence. The burden is on the regime to cooperate fully and quickly with the monitoring mission.”

More than 5,000 people have died since al-Assad began a brutal crackdown in March on anti-government protesters calling for his ouster, the United Nations has said. The Syrian government has said 2,000 of its soldiers and security forces have been killed in the uprising, which it blames on “armed gangs.”

The violent crackdown by al-Assad’s security forces against the opposition has garnered worldwide condemnation from the United States, the European Union, the Arab League and Turkey.

The suicide bombings in Damascus came amid a surge of violence this week that claimed the lives of almost 300 people, according to the opposition Syrian National Council.

Funerals were slated to begin Saturday for 44 people killed in the two suicide car bomb attacks a day earlier at the offices of two security branches in Damascus, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement released to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. At least 166 were wounded in the attack, the ministry said.

Another 21 people, including two children, were reportedly killed in attacks on anti-government protesters, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition network operating from inside Syria. The group does not identify its members in Syria because out of a fear of reprisal from the government.

CNN cannot independently verify the reports. The Syrian government has restricted access to international journalists.

The Damascus attacks were the first known reports of car bombings since the uprising began in March, and it came amid growing fears of a full-blown civil conflict in Syria.

The ministry said the bomb attacks “have the fingerprints of al-Qaeda all over them, marking an escalation in the terrorist attacks afflicting Syria at the hands of armed terrorist groups for more than nine months,” according to the statement released to SANA.

“These terrorist attacks reveal the true face of the plot targeting Syria and its security and stability at the hands of terrorist tools inside and abroad.”

The ministry, according to SANA, called on Syrians to “do their part” and report any suspicious activity so authorities can put an end to “terrorism and crimes.”

But Abdelkarim Al Rihawi, the head of the opposition Syrian League for the Defense of Human Rights, said the opposition was not capable of conducting such attacks.

The Free Syrian Army, the rebel force made up of military defectors, has launched strikes against al-Assad’s forces in recent weeks, though it and other opposition forces don’t have “the technology used in such a massive bombing,” Al Rihawi said.

He called the attack “the work of the Assad regime,” saying it sends a message to the Arab League monitors that the regime is fighting terrorists not protesters.

Mohamed Hamado, a Free Syrian Army lieutenant colonel, said the government staged the strike “to mislead the international community and Arab League.”

The attacks followed the arrival of an Arab League advance team in the country to discuss the parameters of a pending mission to monitor the violence.

The Arab League team in Damascus visited the blast sites, a senior Arab League official told CNN.

Al-Assad agreed this week to allow Arab League observers into the country to monitor what opposition groups say is a deadly crackdown on demonstrators. He has insisted security forces are cracking down on armed terrorist gangs.

The observer mission is part of an Arab League initiative that calls for withdrawing the Syrian army and militias from towns, releasing detainees and ending all forms of violence. Syria signed an agreement with Arab League Monday to allow the observer mission to enter the country.

The senior Arab League official told CNN that the advance team will meet with Syrian officials and prepare for the observers to travel to Syria by Monday. The head of the observer delegation, Lt. Col. Mohamed Al Dabi, will travel to Syria Saturday.

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