Suicide Attacks Hit Damascus Police Center

An army soldier secures the area of a blast site in the Baytara traffic circle near the Old City of Damascus, Syria July 2, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki
An army soldier secures the area of a blast site in the Baytara traffic circle near the Old City of Damascus, Syria July 2, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki
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Suicide Attacks Hit Damascus Police Center

An army soldier secures the area of a blast site in the Baytara traffic circle near the Old City of Damascus, Syria July 2, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki
An army soldier secures the area of a blast site in the Baytara traffic circle near the Old City of Damascus, Syria July 2, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the police headquarters in central Damascus on Wednesday, Syrian state media said, in the second such attack to hit the capital this month. Terror group ISIS later claimed that attack.

The blasts killed one person and injured six others, state television said, citing the interior ministry.
The suicide bombers tried to storm the police command center and clashed with guards before detonating explosive belts at the entrance, it said.

The police cornered the third attacker behind the building, where he blew himself up on the street, state media added.

Earlier this month, suicide bombers struck a police station in another part of the capital, with 17 people reported dead.

On that note, Syria's Kurds were reportedly cited as ‘competitive’ against the pro-regime forces, seeking control over oil-producing areas, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Wednesday.

"They (the Kurds) know well that Syria will not allow its sovereignty to be violated under any conditions," Moualem told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"They are now drunk on US assistance and support. But they need to understand that this assistance won't last forever."



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.