Suicide car bombers kill dozens of Syrian troops

Two cars drive into Syrian military camp in Deraa, exploding and killing several Syrian security men, opposition watchdog says.

Damascus car bomb 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Damascus car bomb 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
BEIRUT - Dozens of Syrian security men were killed when two explosives-laden cars drove into a military camp in the southern town of Deraa on Saturday, an opposition watchdog said, in what appeared to be a double suicide attack.
The first car drove into the camp and exploded, followed by the second vehicle, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement. The detonation of the second vehicle caused the casualties, it added.
Syrian state television reported that two car bombs had gone off at separate locations in Deraa, saying there was "news of casualties among civilians and big material damage in the two places". It did not mention a military target and gave no further details.
Islamist militant groups have moved increasingly to the forefront in the fight to topple Syrian President Bashar aAssad.
Al Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-inspired group, claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing in Hama province on Monday that the Syrian Observatory said had killed around 50 security men loyal to Assad.
The Syrian government routinely blames foreign-backed Islamist militants for the 19-month-old anti-Assad revolt, in which the Observatory says about 38,000 people have been killed.
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