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Syria conflict: Blast 'hits Aleppo intelligence HQ' | Syria conflict: Blast 'hits Aleppo intelligence HQ' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Dozens of Syrian security personnel and rebels have been killed in an attack on an intelligence facility in the city of Aleppo, a monitoring group says. | Dozens of Syrian security personnel and rebels have been killed in an attack on an intelligence facility in the city of Aleppo, a monitoring group says. |
The attack began when a bomb placed in a tunnel near Air Force Intelligence's headquarters was detonated, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. | The attack began when a bomb placed in a tunnel near Air Force Intelligence's headquarters was detonated, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. |
Islamist and jihadist rebels then launched an attack on the building. | Islamist and jihadist rebels then launched an attack on the building. |
Aleppo has been divided between rebel and government control since fighting erupted in the city in mid-2012. | Aleppo has been divided between rebel and government control since fighting erupted in the city in mid-2012. |
But soldiers, backed by pro-government militiamen and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, have made steady advances since launching an offensive to retake the rebel-held west of the city last year. | |
'Part-destroyed' | |
Both the UK-based Syrian Observatory and the opposition Aleppo Media Centre reported that an explosion had struck the Air Force Intelligence building in the Jamiat al-Zahra district on Wednesday evening. | |
The Syrian Observatory said rebels had detonated explosives placed in a tunnel dug underneath or near the intelligence facility. | |
Rebel sources told the Reuters news agency that part of the building had been destroyed. | |
The blast was followed by intense clashes in the area as rebels launched a ground assault. | |
Rami Abdul Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory, said the dead included members of Air Force Intelligence, pro-government militiamen and attackers from a jihadist group. |