Damascus Car Bomb Kills 27

Bombing Targeted Funeral Procession of Pro-Assad Activists

At least 27 people were killed, with the number likely to grow, in a fatal car bombing in Damascus earlier today, according to reports by the Syrian state media, which say the attack targeted a funeral procession.

The bombing was against a procession for two pro-Assad activists and was nearing the cemetery when the car was remotely detonated, according to reports. 12 were initially killed and 48 people were wounded, and many more were not expected to survive.

So far no group has claimed responsible for the bombing, but the Syrian National Council (SNC) accused the Assad regime of launching the bombing itself as a way to “divert attention” from other recent killings of civilians.

SNC spokesman George Sabra said the bombing was also punishment for the residents of the region for welcoming refugees from elsewhere in Syria. Though the SNC does not generally carry out bombings itself, Syria’s rebel faction includes several groups with ties to al-Qaeda that have launched a number of bombing attacks.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.