BEIRUT (Reuters) – Funerals for 44 people killed in twin suicide car bombs in Damascus turned into a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad yesterday, with thousands of mourners denouncing the United States and its Arab allies for interfering in Syria.
The United Nations voiced grave concern over the bombings, which marked an ominous step up in the violence that has rocked the Arab nation for nine months, claiming at least 5,000 lives.
Syria said al Qaeda terrorists were behind the attacks. The media displayed gruesome pictures of dismembered bodies and heads. There has been no claim of responsibility.
Opposition members said they suspected the Assad government carried out the bombings itself, to prove to the world it is facing a ruthless insurgency by armed Islamic fundamentalists.
In Cairo, Sudanese General Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi said he would go to Damascus on Saturday as head of an Arab League monitoring mission which intends to fan out over Syria to verify compliance with an Arab peace plan.
The first batch of about 50 monitors is expected to reach Syria on Monday. Assad’s foes say the mission will only be used to gain time while security forces try to smother the revolt.
“I am optimistic that the mission of the monitors will be successful and that events such as yesterday’s blasts in Damascus will not affect the mission,” Dabi told reporters.
The official Syrian news agency SANA reported that seven army and police “martyrs’ killed in clashes with insurgents had been buried on Saturday. The government says 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed in the unrest since March.
Thousands of Syrians chanted “Death to America” during the funeral processions in Damascus, cheering Assad, calling for revenge and denouncing Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani who has become one of Assad’s main Arab critics.
The crowd, carrying posters of Assad and Syrian flags, chanted “We want your head, Hamad” and “We sacrifice our souls and blood for you Bashar” and “God, Syria and Bashar only.”
