Huge explosion rattles Syrian capital

[Bosonic]

Source: The Daily Star [Lebanon]

DAMASCUS, Syria: Damascus residents and state-run TV say a huge explosion has shaken the city.

The blast followed by heavy gunfire caused panic in the capital, where a massive car bombing on Thursday near the ruling Baath party headquarters killed at least 53 people.

It was not immediately clear what the target of Monday's explosion was and whether there were casualties.

State-run TV reported a "terrorist" explosion at the entrance to the northeastern neighborhood of Qaboun.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-25/207891-huge-explosion-shakes-syrian-capital-followed-by-gunfire.ashx

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Explosion said to be a car bomb near abassyeen square #Damascus clashes on going in several other areas sound of artilery shelling heard too

https://twitter.com/BBCLinaSinjab/status/306128187019104257

Huge explosion close to Abassyeen square, gunfights, people are scared hiding themselves in basement.

https://twitter.com/halona/status/306127447328448512

[leftynyc]

1. I really don't want the US

anywhere near this.

[TwilightGardener]

2. It doesn't seem that the opposition factions are going to meet w/ Kerry in Rome this week.

I don't think there's much we can do if they don't want our help (or interference, however you describe it).

[pampango]

4. That meeting seems to on/off/on again.

Syria Meeting Reportedly Back On After Diplomatic Scramble

Top Syrian opposition figures are reportedly considering dropping their boycott of a meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry later this week, potentially preventing what had looked like an embarrassing stumble on Kerry's inaugural diplomatic voyage.

The news of the Syrian National Council's willingness to meet with Kerry came on Monday, The Guardian reported, after two days of aggressive courting by the State Department. "We will reconsider the decision on the boycott in light of the strong message of support we and Syrian people got over the weekend," council leader Moaz el-Khatib said in a message, according to The Guardian.

The news that the Syrian opposition coalition might skip the meeting came on Saturday, just as Kerry prepared to set out for London, the initial stop of his first multi-nation tour as secretary of state.

Citing the "shameful international stand," a coalition spokesman told reporters over the weekend that the group would skip meeting with Kerry and other "Friends of Syria" nations out of frustration with the lack of material support for the opposition. The spokesman added that the council was not opposed to a negotiated settlement with the Syrian regime, but only if Syrian President Bashar Assad stepped down and faced prosecution.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/john-kerry-syria_n_2759567.html

[Xithras]

3. I love the quotes around "terrorist"

Al Nusra has now claimed responsibility for around 20 bombings targeted at civilians in Damascus and other areas still controlled by the government, and has bluntly said that it is punishing civilians for their failure to support the uprising (in one claim, they said that they wanted everyone who opposed them to walk around "wondering when their time would come&quot .

That's pretty much a textbook definition of terrorism. Attacking civilians to intimidate them into surrender. I don't think the quotes are needed.