Syria crisis: PM Halaqi 'survives Damascus car bombing'

[jakeXT]

Source: BBC

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi has survived a car bomb attack in the capital, Damascus, reports say.

The blast in western Mazzeh district targeted Mr Halaqi's convoy, state television said. There are reported to be a number of casualties.

UK-based activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Mr Halaqi's bodyguard had been killed, AFP news agency reported.

The blast is believed to have been a suicide attack.

Read more: http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22335430

[Scootaloo]

1. And remember, we're supporting the "freedom fighters" behind this

[jakeXT]

2. Syrian prime minister survives Damascus bombing, six die

Six people were killed in the blast, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, the latest in a series of rebel attacks on government targets including a December bombing which wounded Assad's interior minister.

Halki wields little power but the attack highlighted the rebels' growing ability to target symbols of Assad's authority in a civil war which has cost more than 70,000 lives, according to the United Nations.

Assad picked Halki in August to replace Riyadh Hijab, who defected and escaped to neighboring Jordan just weeks after a Damascus bombing which killed four of the president's top security advisers.

In comments released by the state news agency SANA but not shown on television, Halki was quoted as condemning the attack as a sign of "bankruptcy and failure of the terrorist groups", a reference to the rebels battling to overthrow Assad.

http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-prime-minister-survives-bomb-attack-tv-072735283.html