SYRIA: DOUBLE BLAST HITS ARMY POST IN DAMASCUS

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-02-07-40-07

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- Two bombs went off near the Syrian military's joint chiefs of staff's offices in central Damascus on Sunday, state television said.

The explosions struck the Abu Rumaneh district of the Syrian capital, wounding four people, state TV said.

Government officials say the explosion appeared to target a building under construction near the offices of the military's joint chiefs of staff. The building, which was empty at the time of the blast, is a base for army officers who guard the joint chiefs of staff offices, which are located some 200 meters (yards) away.

The officials say the wounded were army officers.

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1. It's only a matter of time before the Syrians retailiate against the Saudis, others.

Then, what do we do?

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2. Aljazeera: Attempt to strike at Syria's military leadership come six weeks after another bomb killed

four top security officials.

Damascus residents said the explosions occurred at a security building in the Abu Rummana district, not far from the compound housing the army and air force headquarters near central Umayyad Square.

Video footage from activists showed plumes of white smoke rising from the district, an upscale neighbourhood in the heart of Damascus that is home to several embassies.

The area contains several security service buildings, as well as the office of Vice President Faruq al-Shara. The explosion occurred near a security services building which is tasked with protecting the army's general staff. In July, a bombing killed four members of President Bashar al-Assad's top circle of security advisers, including his brother-in-law.

The Ahfad al-Rasul (Grandchildren of the Prophet) brigade of the rebel Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Facebook, in which it also threatened to attack Assad's palace. "This operation was carried out in response to the massacres in Daraya," said the statement, referring to the killing last week of at least 330 people in a town near Damascus. Regime and rebel forces blamed each other for the massacre.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/09/20129212533972856.html