March 2012 Damascus bombings

March 2012 Damascus Bombings
Part of the Syrian civil war
Damascus highlighted within Syria
Location	Damascus
Date	17 March 2012 7:30 AM[1]
Target	Government security buildings[1]
Attack type	car bombings[1]
Deaths	27[1]
Non-fatal injuries	140
Perpetrators	al-Nusra Front

The March 2012 Damascus bombings were two large car bombs that exploded in front of the air intelligence and criminal security headquarters in the Syrian capital of Damascus. At least 27 people were reported killed and over a 140 injured in the fourth major bombing since the beginning of the uprising and the second in the city. As in previous cases, the government quickly placed the blame on terrorists and foreign groups, while the opposition blamed it for orchestrating attacks to divert attention from its atrocities. ^[2][3]

Background

The bombing came near the date of the one year anniversary of the 2011-2012 Syrian uprising. There had already been two bombings in Damascus and one in Aleppo. Another Aleppo car bombing came the next day, followed by a car bombing in Daraa.

Bombings

Two large car bombs exploded on March 17, 2012 at 7:30 AM^[1] in front of the air intelligence and criminal security headquarters in the Syrian capital of Damascus. At least 27 people were reported killed and over a 140 injured.

The government placed the blame on terrorists and foreign groups, while the opposition blamed it for orchestrating attacks to divert attention from its atrocities.^[2][3]

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the al-Nusra Front.^[4]

Perpetrators

al-Nusra Front is a jihadist group which also claims responsibility for the earlier al-Midan bombing and the Aleppo bombings.

See also

• List of bombings during the Syrian uprising (2011–present)
• 1986 Damascus bombings

References