DAMASCUS, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people including children were killed and scores of others injured when an explosion rocked the Syrian capital Damascus' suburb of Qatana Thursday morning, local media said.
Most of the victims were schoolchildren, Syrian official media said, adding that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.
Meanwhile, pro-government media placed the initial number of casualties at 22 killed and 150 injured.
The state TV aired footage of the blast site, showing pools of blood and piles of debris and twisted charred metal.
Thursday's blast comes as the rate of explosions has dramatically intensified over the past 24 hours, after a meeting of the so-called "Friends of Syria" held in Morocco recognized the newly-formed exiled Syrian opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
On Wednesday, a series of explosions rocked Damascus in several areas, including the Jaramana suburb, the parking lot of a courthouse, the interior ministry, Burnieh Street and al-Thawra Street.
The explosions resulted in many deaths, including the death of a Syrian journalist who had been working for the state TV, and a member of the Syrian parliament.
DAMASCUS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A series of deadly blasts rattled Syrian capital Damascus on Wednesday after the United States and its allies recognized the exiled Syrian opposition as the sole " legitimate representative" of Syrian people.
Wednesday started with two roadside bombs hitting Damascus' suburb of Jaramana in swift succession and killed one person and injured another five. The blasts took place near a school in the area. Full story
MARRAKECH, Morocco, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The meeting of so- called "Friends of Syria" on Wednesday recognizes Syria's National Coalition for the Opposition Forces as "the legitimate representative of the Syrian people," according to a draft chairman's conclusion of the meeting.
The fourth Friends of Syria meeting, participated by representatives from 114 countries and regions and 15 NGOs, was held in Morocco's Marrakech on Wednesday. Full story
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