Beirut: Twin suicide bombings at a military officers’ club in the southern Syrian city of Daraa killed at least 20 soldiers yesterrday and possibly many more, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The attacks targeted the back garden of the club, the Britain-based Observatory’s director, Rami Abdul Rahman, told AFP.
“The two bombings were the result of suicide attacks, carried out by two men who drove vehicles loaded with explosives into the garden a few minutes apart,” said Abdul Rahman, who relies on a network of activists and medics on the ground.
State news agency Sana reported that two car bomb attacks had hit the city, causing casualties and significant damage, but provided no further details.
A third explosion later hit another military post in the city, but did not cause any casualties, the Observatory said. The cause of the third explosion was not immediately known.
Syrian rebels have increasingly turned to suicide attacks and car bombs in their fight against President Bashar Al Assad, with jihadist groups such as the Al Nusra Front often claiming responsibility.
Daraa province on Syria’s southern border with Jordan is considered the cradle of the country’s nearly 20-month uprising.
