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| Car Bomb in Damascus Kills Dozens, Opposition Says | Car Bomb in Damascus Kills Dozens, Opposition Says |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| TRIPOLI, Lebanon — A powerful car bomb exploded in the heart of Damascus on Thursday near the headquarters of Syria President Bashar al-Assad’s ruling party, and antigovernment activists said nearly four dozen people were killed, mainly civilians but also some members of the security forces. | |
| The violence in the center of the Syrian capital coincided with renewed talks among Mr. Assad’s adversaries, who met in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the terms on which the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, the main Syrian rebel group, was prepared to talk about a negotiated settlement to the nearly two-year-old conflict. The group also denounced the car bombing and other mayhem in Syria that had left civilians dead, saying in a statement that it “holds the Assad regime responsible for them.” | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad group based in Britain that has a network of contacts in Syria, reported that at least 42 people were killed by the bomb, which exploded in the neighborhood of Mazraa. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad group based in Britain that has a network of contacts in Syria, reported that at least 42 people were killed by the bomb, which exploded in the neighborhood of Mazraa. |
| Syrian state television said two children were wounded, while Al Ikhbariya, a pro-government television channel, showed footage of two bodies and body parts in a park. One resident of the area said her windows were knocked out by the blast. | Syrian state television said two children were wounded, while Al Ikhbariya, a pro-government television channel, showed footage of two bodies and body parts in a park. One resident of the area said her windows were knocked out by the blast. |
| The area where the bomb exploded was near the headquarters of Mr. Assad’s ruling Baath Party and the Russian Embassy. State television and the Syrian Observatory also said mortar shells exploded near the Syrian Army General Command in the center of the capital, but there were no reported casualties. | The area where the bomb exploded was near the headquarters of Mr. Assad’s ruling Baath Party and the Russian Embassy. State television and the Syrian Observatory also said mortar shells exploded near the Syrian Army General Command in the center of the capital, but there were no reported casualties. |
| The meeting in Cairo was being held mainly to discuss recent proposals by the council’s leader, Sheik Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib, to talk with representatives of the Assad government. Participants made it clear that at least so far, Mr. Khatib was speaking only for himself. | The meeting in Cairo was being held mainly to discuss recent proposals by the council’s leader, Sheik Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib, to talk with representatives of the Assad government. Participants made it clear that at least so far, Mr. Khatib was speaking only for himself. |
| “Per his own words it is not a formal initiative,” said Yasser Tabbara, a legal adviser to the coalition. “It is an idea he had, and now he is seeking some sort of a sanction for it, through the general assembly of the coalition.” Mr. Tabbara added, “It is no secret to anyone that the fact that Sheik Khatib took this unilateral initiative or unilateral approach was a problem.” | “Per his own words it is not a formal initiative,” said Yasser Tabbara, a legal adviser to the coalition. “It is an idea he had, and now he is seeking some sort of a sanction for it, through the general assembly of the coalition.” Mr. Tabbara added, “It is no secret to anyone that the fact that Sheik Khatib took this unilateral initiative or unilateral approach was a problem.” |
| Despite reports from fighters on the ground and journalists near the front lines that the battle is in a rough stalemate, Mr. Tabbara insisted that in the council, “the balance of power on the ground is shifting toward the armed opposition, and we need to capitalize on this politically.” | Despite reports from fighters on the ground and journalists near the front lines that the battle is in a rough stalemate, Mr. Tabbara insisted that in the council, “the balance of power on the ground is shifting toward the armed opposition, and we need to capitalize on this politically.” |
| Mr. Tabbara said the council was seeking to condition Mr. Khatib’s proposal for dialogue in a way that reflected its assessment of the shifting balance of power. “What is being discussed right now is basically taking what Sheik Khatib had proposed and injecting it into that general context,” he said. “I think that is what is being hashed out right now.” | Mr. Tabbara said the council was seeking to condition Mr. Khatib’s proposal for dialogue in a way that reflected its assessment of the shifting balance of power. “What is being discussed right now is basically taking what Sheik Khatib had proposed and injecting it into that general context,” he said. “I think that is what is being hashed out right now.” |
| On Thursday, the Syrian Observatory said scores of civilian hostages from Shiite villages had been released in Idlib. It is still unknown which armed group took them. | On Thursday, the Syrian Observatory said scores of civilian hostages from Shiite villages had been released in Idlib. It is still unknown which armed group took them. |
| The strikes in Damascus were the latest to extend to the heart of the Syrian capital, and reports this week indicated that rebel shells had reached new areas. | The strikes in Damascus were the latest to extend to the heart of the Syrian capital, and reports this week indicated that rebel shells had reached new areas. |
| State media and opposition activists reported on Wednesday that mortar rounds had hit the Tishreen sports stadium in the downtown neighborhood of Baramkeh. The state news agency, SANA, said the explosion killed an athlete from the soccer team Al Wathba, based in Homs, as he was practicing. | State media and opposition activists reported on Wednesday that mortar rounds had hit the Tishreen sports stadium in the downtown neighborhood of Baramkeh. The state news agency, SANA, said the explosion killed an athlete from the soccer team Al Wathba, based in Homs, as he was practicing. |
| Government forces hit a rebel command center in a suburb east of the capital on Wednesday, injuring a founder of the Liwaa al-Islam Brigade, Sheik Zahran Alloush, a brigade representative, said in a statement. | Government forces hit a rebel command center in a suburb east of the capital on Wednesday, injuring a founder of the Liwaa al-Islam Brigade, Sheik Zahran Alloush, a brigade representative, said in a statement. |
| On Tuesday, activists reported that up to seven mortar rounds had been fired by fighters of the Free Syrian Army toward Mr. Assad’s Tishreen Palace in Damascus. | On Tuesday, activists reported that up to seven mortar rounds had been fired by fighters of the Free Syrian Army toward Mr. Assad’s Tishreen Palace in Damascus. |
| There were no immediate reports of casualties, and it was not known whether Mr. Assad was there at the time. The palace, surrounded by a park, is in a wealthy area that has largely been insulated from the insurgency and it lies less than a mile from the main presidential palace. | There were no immediate reports of casualties, and it was not known whether Mr. Assad was there at the time. The palace, surrounded by a park, is in a wealthy area that has largely been insulated from the insurgency and it lies less than a mile from the main presidential palace. |
| Syrian rebels are entrenched in suburbs south and east of the capital, but they have been unable to push far into the center, although they strike the area with occasional mortar shells and increasingly frequent car bombs. | Syrian rebels are entrenched in suburbs south and east of the capital, but they have been unable to push far into the center, although they strike the area with occasional mortar shells and increasingly frequent car bombs. |
| Such indiscriminate attacks, however, risk killing passers-by, exposing the rebels to charges that they are careless with civilian life and property. Many Damascus residents are undecided in the civil war and fear that their ancient city will be ravaged like Aleppo and other urban centers to the north. | Such indiscriminate attacks, however, risk killing passers-by, exposing the rebels to charges that they are careless with civilian life and property. Many Damascus residents are undecided in the civil war and fear that their ancient city will be ravaged like Aleppo and other urban centers to the north. |
| At the same time, the government has decimated pro-rebel suburbs with airstrikes and artillery, leaving vast areas depopulated or terrorized. | At the same time, the government has decimated pro-rebel suburbs with airstrikes and artillery, leaving vast areas depopulated or terrorized. |
| Fighting also continued for control of the main civilian airport in Aleppo on Wednesday. | Fighting also continued for control of the main civilian airport in Aleppo on Wednesday. |
Reporting was contributed by David D. Kirkpatrick and Mayy | Reporting was contributed by David D. Kirkpatrick and Mayy El Sheikh from Cairo, Alan Cowell from London, and Christine Hauser and Rick Gladstone from New York. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: February 21, 2013 | Correction: February 21, 2013 |
Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misidentified the country that the bylined reporters were filing from. It is Lebanon, not Libya. | Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misidentified the country that the bylined reporters were filing from. It is Lebanon, not Libya. |