| 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the2012 Battle of Damascus during theSyrian Civil War | |
  Rawda Square | |
| Location | 33°30′51″N36°16′43″E / 33.51417°N 36.27861°E /33.51417; 36.27861 Rawda Square,Damascus,Syria |
| Date | 18 July 2012; 13 years ago (2012-07-18) |
| Target | Syrian presidentBashar al-Assad and hisCabinet members[1] |
Attack type | Assassination |
| Deaths | At least 4[2][3][4][5] |
| Injured | At least 2[6] |
| Perpetrators | Undetermined |
The18 July 2012 Damascus bombing of theNational Security headquarters inRawda Square,Damascus, killed and injured a number of top military and security officials of the Syrian government. Among the dead were theSyrian defense minister[2] and deputy defense minister.[3] The bombing occurred during the Syrian revolution, and is considered to be one of the most notorious events to affect the conflict.Syrian state-controlled television reported that it was a suicide attack while the opposition claimed it was a remotely detonated bomb. The bombing remains unsolved.
The attack, during a meeting of theCentral Crisis Management Cell comprising ministers and a number of heads of security agencies, resulted in the death of theSyrian Defense Minister GeneralDawoud Rajiha.[2] Also killed wereAssef Shawkat, president Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law and deputy defense minister, the assistant to the vice president GeneralHasan Turkmani,[4][7] andHafez Makhlouf, head of investigations at the Syrian Intelligence Agency.[5] However, Hafez Makhlouf was also reported to be wounded.[8] The country's intelligence and national security chief[9]Hisham Ikhtiyar was seriously wounded.[10] There were conflicting reports regarding the Interior ministerMohammad al-Shaar with initial accounts stating that he had been killed, but later state TV reported that he had survived although wounded.[11] Additional reports stated that he was in stable condition.[12] Al-Shaar was reported dead later, according toAl Jazeera.[13]Mohammed Saeed Bekheitan, the national secretary of theBa'ath Party, was also wounded in the bombing.[6] On 20 July 2012, the death of Hisham Ikhtiyar was confirmed by Syrian authorities.[14]
The bomber was reportedly a bodyguard of one of the meeting's participants.[17] The opposition, meanwhile, claimed that the cause of the explosion was not a suicide bomber, but a rebel insider who planted a bomb inside the building and detonated it remotely from a distant location.[18] Another report said that the bomb was hidden in the briefcase of Syrian Interior MinisterMohammad al-Shaar, who was injured in the blast.[19]
TheSalafistLiwa al-Islam ("Brigade of Islam")[20] and theFree Syrian Army both claimed responsibility for the bombing.[21]Louay Almokdad, the Free Syrian Army's logistical coordinator, claimed that the attack was perpetrated by a group of Free Syrian Army members in coordination with drivers and bodyguards working for Assad's high-ranking officials.It was further stated that the two explosive devices, one made of 25 pounds ofTNT, and the other a smallerC-4 plastic-explosive device, had been put in the room days before the meeting by a person working for Hisham Ikhtiyar.[1]
According to a 2016Daily Beast article, former Syrian general Mohamad Khalouf claimed Iran and Assad were actually responsible for the bombing. Khalouf said that the officials killed were more moderate members of the regime whom Iran wanted removed. Bassam Barabandi, a former Syrian diplomat, also blamed Iran. The sameDaily Beast article also quoted Syrian intelligence sources that said Assad believed the dead officials were planning a coup against him, and that all investigations into the bombing were blocked. Former US ambassadorRobert Stephen Ford said of the bombing, "I don't think we know how it was done."[19]
Although there were no statements from President Assad himself,Syrian TV said after the attack that adecree from him named Gen.Fahd Jassem al-Freij, who used to be the army chief of staff, as the new defense minister.[22] Syrian state television said foreign-backed terrorists had carried out the attack. The country's armed forces said in a statement that Syria was "determined to confront all forms of terrorism and chop off any hand that harms national security".[23]
On 19 July 2012, Syrian state television broadcast images of President Assad at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, cutting short speculation fueled by his silence following the attack against his inner circle the previous day. In the images broadcast by the television, Assad was seen in blue suit, receiving the new defense minister,Fahd Jassem al-Freij, after the swearing ceremony.[24] According to Israeli newspaperHaaretz, the state TV announcement appeared aimed at sending the message that Assad is alive, well and still firmly in charge. It said Assad wished the new defense minister good luck but it did not say where the swearing-in took place. Nor did it show any photos or video of the ceremony, as it usually would.[25]
Iran – TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs condemned the bombing, adding that "the only way of resolving the current crisis in Syria is through talks."[26] Iranian ambassador claimed that the bombing had been a work of foreign intelligence agencies and ruled out the possibility of FSA being able to carry out such operation.[27]
Israel –Defense MinisterEhud Barak urgently summoned intelligence and security officials to discuss possible implications of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria. They includedChief of the General Staff of the IDF Lt. Gen.Benny Gantz and heads of theNorthern Command,Military Intelligence Department, thePlanning Directorate and the various IDF branches.[28]
Jordan – KingAbdullah II stated that this assassination of members of Assad's inner circle is a "tremendous blow to the regime."[29]
Lebanon – Lebanese Foreign MinisterAdnan Mansour condemned the Damascus bombing.[30]
Russia – Press secretary ofRussian presidentVladimir Putin,Dmitry Peskov, said "As a whole the existing exchange of opinions shows that the appraisals of the situation in Syria and final goals of regulating (violence) for both sides coincide".[31]
South Africa – South Africa strongly condemned the attack and stated that it is opposed to all forms of terrorism and violence.[32]
Turkey –Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted negatively to Syria's explanation of the event.[33]
United Kingdom – Prime MinisterDavid Cameron said that Assad should step down and added "It is time for the United Nations Security Council to Pass clear and tough messages about sanctions, I believe under Chapter 7 of the U.N., and be unambiguous about it."[34]Foreign SecretaryWilliam Hague said that the "incident, which we condemn, confirms the urgent need for a chapter VII resolution of the UN Security Council on Syria."[35]
United States –Defense SecretaryLeon Panetta said that the country was "rapidly spinning out of control", adding that "the international community must bring maximum pressure on Assad to do what's right, to step down and to allow for that peaceful transition".[31]
Venezuela – The Foreign Ministry condemned the bombing in Damascus and urged foreign powers against military intervention.[36]
United Nations –UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon has strongly condemned the attack and reminded that "acts of violence committed by any party are unacceptable and a clear violation of the six-point plan".[37]| Historic and other landmarks |
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