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Explosion Levels Hotel Housing Government Troops in Syria Explosion Levels Hotel Housing Government Troops in Syria
(about 2 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — A hotel used by Syrian government troops in the northern city of Aleppo was leveled by a huge explosion on Thursday, after Islamic militants tunneled underneath the building and planted explosives linked to remote detonators, activist groups and state media reported.BEIRUT, Lebanon — A hotel used by Syrian government troops in the northern city of Aleppo was leveled by a huge explosion on Thursday, after Islamic militants tunneled underneath the building and planted explosives linked to remote detonators, activist groups and state media reported.
There was no immediate word on casualties. Video footage whose authenticity could not immediately be confirmed showed huge clouds of gray smoke blotting out the Aleppo skyline.There was no immediate word on casualties. Video footage whose authenticity could not immediately be confirmed showed huge clouds of gray smoke blotting out the Aleppo skyline.
The Islamic Front, one of the biggest insurgent groups in Syria, claimed responsibility for the blast, saying the attack was in response to the mass killing of unarmed civilians in Aleppo. The group, a coalition of insurgents including former Free Syrian Army fighters and members of harder-core Islamist factions, said the attack was a prelude to a “large-scale operation” meant to secure territorial gains. The Islamic Front, one of the biggest insurgent groups in Syria, claimed responsibility for the blast, saying the attack was a response to the mass killing of unarmed civilians in Aleppo. The group, a coalition of insurgents including former Free Syrian Army fighters and members of harder-core Islamist factions, said the attack was a prelude to a “large-scale operation” meant to secure territorial gains.
The state news agency SANA said the “enormous attack” had rocked the Old City area of Aleppo and had destroyed historical sites there. The attackers blew up “tunnels they dug under archaeological buildings,” SANA said. The state news agency, SANA, said the attack had rocked the Old City area of Aleppo and destroyed historical sites there. The attackers blew up tunnels they dug under archaeological buildings, SANA said.
The destroyed hotel was seen in Internet images as a pale stone building in traditional style with palm trees outside. State television identified it as the Carlton, which was built as a hospital in the era of Ottoman rule before World War I and later renovated and reopened as a hotel, facing the historic citadel in Aleppo. Government forces had been billeted there for two years.The destroyed hotel was seen in Internet images as a pale stone building in traditional style with palm trees outside. State television identified it as the Carlton, which was built as a hospital in the era of Ottoman rule before World War I and later renovated and reopened as a hotel, facing the historic citadel in Aleppo. Government forces had been billeted there for two years.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain and collects information from contacts inside Syria, said that Islamist forces had tunneled under the hotel from areas held by rebels seeking the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. The explosion “completely destroyed” the hotel, according to the observatory. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group that is based in Britain and collects information from contacts inside Syria, said Islamist forces had tunneled under the hotel from areas held by rebels seeking the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.
Aleppo, the country’s largest city, has been carved into a checkerboard of areas held by one side or the other as the Syrian civil war has intensified. Government forces have been bombing rebel areas from the air, while the rebels have detonated car bombs and fired mortar rounds into government-held districts.Aleppo, the country’s largest city, has been carved into a checkerboard of areas held by one side or the other as the Syrian civil war has intensified. Government forces have been bombing rebel areas from the air, while the rebels have detonated car bombs and fired mortar rounds into government-held districts.
The attack in Aleppo came a day after rebels in the city of Homs began evacuating positions they had held since the revolt against Mr. Assad took root in 2011. The evacuation was seen as a bitter defeat and emotional blow for antigovernment forces there, but it was not clear whether the bomb in Aleppo was intended as a direct response.The attack in Aleppo came a day after rebels in the city of Homs began evacuating positions they had held since the revolt against Mr. Assad took root in 2011. The evacuation was seen as a bitter defeat and emotional blow for antigovernment forces there, but it was not clear whether the bomb in Aleppo was intended as a direct response.
Homs is Syria’s third-largest city, and was one of the first where peaceful protests turned to armed combat; it was also among the first to experience indiscriminate bombing by government forces, a bellwether for the nation’s descent into turmoil.Homs is Syria’s third-largest city, and was one of the first where peaceful protests turned to armed combat; it was also among the first to experience indiscriminate bombing by government forces, a bellwether for the nation’s descent into turmoil.
Talal Barazi, the provincial governor in Homs, told state media that 80 percent of the rebel fighters had left their positions in the city center under a truce, and the rest were scheduled to leave on Thursday, Reuters reported. Talal Barazi, the provincial governor in Homs, said 80 percent of the rebel fighters had left their positions in the city center under a truce, and the rest were scheduled to leave on Thursday, Reuters reported.
Rebels tried once before this year to tunnel under the hotel in Aleppo and blow it up. That attack did damage but did not force government troops to abandon the building.Rebels tried once before this year to tunnel under the hotel in Aleppo and blow it up. That attack did damage but did not force government troops to abandon the building.
Tamam, an activist from Aleppo now living in Turkey who did not give his family name for fear of reprisals, said that government forces had turned the hotel into a military base where snipers and mortar crews could attack much of the city’s old quarter. Tamam, an activist from Aleppo now living in Turkey who did not give his surname for fear of reprisals, said in an interview that government forces had turned the hotel into a military base where snipers and mortar crews could attack much of the city’s old quarter.
Government supporters in Aleppo speculated in postings on Facebook that the rebels may have detonated two tunnels packed with explosives on Thursday, one under the hotel and the other in a separate neighborhood. Government supporters in Aleppo speculated in postings on Facebook that the rebels detonated two tunnels packed with explosives on Thursday, one under the hotel and the other in a different neighborhood.
The tactic of tunneling under opponents’ fortifications has nearly a 900-year pedigree in Aleppo; when Crusaders besieged a Muslim-held castle there in 1131, the premature collapse of a siege tunnel fatally injured their leader, Count Joscelin I of Edessa. The tactic of tunneling under opponents’ fortifications has nearly a 900-year pedigree in Aleppo. When Crusaders besieged a Muslim-held castle there in 1131, the premature collapse of a siege tunnel fatally injured their leader, Count Joscelin I of Edessa.
In video images posted on YouTube, the Islamic Front showed what it said was a similar attack this week on a government outpost in Idlib, southwest of Aleppo. The images showed a huge blast in which the Islamic Front said 35 government soldiers had died.In video images posted on YouTube, the Islamic Front showed what it said was a similar attack this week on a government outpost in Idlib, southwest of Aleppo. The images showed a huge blast in which the Islamic Front said 35 government soldiers had died.