Six Killed in Failed Assassination Attempt Against Syrian PM

Attack Hit Deep in 'Square of Security,' But PM Unharmed

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi has survived an assassination attempt today, with a bombing in the high-security Mezze District claiming the lives of six other people, five of them apparently bystanders.

The Mezze District is just one of several Central Damascus districts that make up the “square of security” where Syria’s government offices are centered, and where much of its civilian and military leadership resides.

The attack shows the rebels’ ability to infiltrate deep into Damascus and carry out attacks, though so far it isn’t clear which rebel faction or factions carried out today’s bombing.

Halqi has been prime minister since August, when his predecessor Riyad Hijab defected to the rebels. Hijab himself only served two months before defecting to Jordan.

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.