UN chief condemns bomb attack in Syria

Ban said in a statement on Wednesday that he “strongly condemns today’s bomb attack at the National Security Headquarters in Damascus which resulted in significant casualties including the death and serious injury of government officials,” AFP reported.

“Time is of the essence. The Syrian people have suffered for too long. The bloodshed must end now,” the UN chief added.

Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha, his deputy Assef Shawkat, Security Chief General Hisham Ikhtiyar, and Assistance Vice President Hassan Turkmani were all killed in a bombing at the headquarters of the National Security.

Shawkat is President Assad’s brother-in-law and Turkmani was the head of the crisis management office.

Many others, including Syria’s Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, were injured in the attack. He is reported to be in a stable condition.

Cabinet ministers and senior security officials were meeting inside the building in Rawda district at the time of the explosion.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appointed chief of staff of the armed forces General Fahd al-Jassem al-Freij as the country’s new defense minister.

The terrorist Free Syrian Army (FSA) has claimed responsibility for the attack. The FSA has also warned of more violence in the capital in coming days.

GJH/AS

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes