[Updated at 11:25 a.m. ET] The U.S. government announced Wednesday a new round of sanctions against members of the Syrian government.
[Updated at 10:48 a.m. ET] Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar was also killed in today's explosion during a meeting of ministers and security officials in Damascus, according to Syrian-run media. That brings the death toll in the attack to four key members of President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.
[Updated at 10:01 a.m. ET] The Free Syrian Army says today's deadly blast targeting a meeting of ministers and security officials was a planted bomb and not a suicide attack as previously reported on Syrian-run media.
"It was an explosive device planted inside the meeting room and triggered with a remote control," the deputy head of the opposition Free Syrian Army, Col. Malek al-Kurdi, told CNN.
[Updated at 9:39 a.m. ET] Hasan Turkmani, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's security advisor, was among those killed in the Damascus blast Wednesday, according to state television. Turkmani was Syria's former defense minister.
[Updated at 9:25 a.m. ET] The attack, during a meeting of ministers and security officials, was coordinated by several rebel brigades in Damascus, the deputy head of the opposition Free Syrian Army, Col. Malek al-Kurdi, told CNN.
The colonel told CNN that there is an "extensive" gun battle going on between defected officers, with the help of the Free Syrian Army against Assad's Republican guard and elite forces.
"We may see a breakthrough sooner than we expected," he said.
The most senior Syrian diplomatic defector Nawaf Al Fares, who was recently Syria's Ambassador to Iraq, told CNN he believed the attack was extremely significant.
"I think what happened today is a big and important operation that hit the heart of the regime. I believe the regime will escalate against the Syrian people, but at the same time it started getting weaker and weaker," he said. "The ability of the rebels to reach to this place in this way is a great achievement."
The attack represents "a massive psychological blow to the regime" and will accelerate al-Assad's "demise," said Anthony Skinner, an analyst with the think tank Maplecroft.
It could suggest that, after a 16-month relentless uprising, "the regime itself is crumbling," said Rime Allaf, an analyst with Chatham House.
Events on the ground in Syria show "a real escalation in fighting," said U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
It "tells us that this is a situation that is rapidly spinning out of control, and for that reason it's extremely important that the international community, working with other countries that have concerns in that area, have to bring maximum pressure on Assad to do what's right, and to step down and to allow for that peaceful transition. "
[Posted at 8:43 a.m. ET] Syria's defense minister and deputy defense minister were killed Wednesday in a blast at a national security building in Damascus, state media reported.
The attack brings the bloodshed in Syria well into President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle and could mark a pivotal point in the 16-month uprising.
Getting to know Syria's first family
Next for Syria: Showdown or stalemate? | How the horror has unfolded
They are the highest-ranking Syrian officials killed in the uprising.
FULL STORY
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I am interested in why almost every hostile middleastern countries leaders have been "eliminated"... the only problem is that soon the U.N. security council has no one left in its chairs.. maybe kim yung ill of north korea can be a human rights consultant for the U.N. I am convinced that the U.N. is some kinda sick joke.....another weird one is the NOBEL "peace " prize... they gave ArafFhat as well as an american nazi minister a peace prize! crazy world. james ainoris
Philip, is this you under a new name?
You don't understand why the people of an oppressive dictator rebel against them? The question is when are the radicals going to realize their supposed religious leaders are oppressive dictators themselves highjacking faith as a tool for domination.
Looks like it is slowly but surely the beginning of the end for Bashar al-Assad. It's only a matter of time until this tyrant is deposed of once and for all. If Bashar al-Assad were smart he would flee to his neighboring friends in Iran. I am quite certain Ayatollah Khamenei & Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would welcome this ruthless murderer with open arms.
Hopefully the good people of Syria will soon have good leaders, instead of a ruthless dictator, and instead of greedy, self-seeking, and corrupt leaders.
And hopefully fanatical extremists won’t hijack the political process and appoint themselves as leaders.
Start the war crimes trial at the Hague for Assad and his evil generals and regime. And make Assad’s wife give back the wealth she’s selfishly used to by vain and selfish things, such as shoes; and, use this money to feed, educate and provide care for the people of Syria.
Looks like the 2 tier system did not work there. hmmm Bye Gucci.
Syria assad is staying and the great syrian army will destroy the islamic terrorists (alqaeda and islamic brothers). but the terrorists and who back them are going to the hell and the history toilet. very peaceful revolution right? it is pigs revolution.
Essad is killing his own people. Wait and see him like Ghadafi who called his people rats, they found him in the whole like a rat. This animal killed 15000 of his own people, what kind of leader is that?
I know @ BOMBO, ive tried all morning to feel bad about this, but just cant. Gm btw to you and to Obama Mama! Guess they may not need to come up with the 6 point plan after all.
@chrissy, good morning, I am worried about the chemicals. I hope he decides to leave without using chemicals.
Good morning, chrissy and Mama.
So, so very tired of this Syrian bloodshed.
Dud, give up already; what, you're not going to me happy until every citizen is dead?
Again, I don't care what outside factions are at play, if any; I don't care about some little despot and his Barbie-doll wife grandstanding; he has handled this horribly at great cost to people who just want to live an ordinary life!
If he truly cared about his people, he would STOP FIRING on them, if he's trying to avert an uprising, he has done nothing but add fuel to the fire!
Finally:
No US boots on Syrian soil!
Ps. Sanctions don't mean zip to a regime that ignores them...
Well, its about time.
This is paying assad back in his own coin..my only fear is reprasier attack on the innocent
First casualty of war is the truth. One wonders why the initial report was a suicide bomb. To try to cynically generate some animosity towards the bombers? Assassination via the suicide bomb would give pause to anyone outside of Syria supporting the opposition. Turns out it was a REGULAR assassination. We can all get behind that, yes?
Nicely described.
GOOD NEWS for a change !
Security officials get blown up due to a lack of security. Assad needs to review his HR department.
Assad's days are numbered. Very soon, the crisis in Syria will be over and a new set of challenges/problems will emerge
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
The chickens are coming home to roost.
pooock poooock. I is a rhode island red. We is the best chickens.
Decapitation.
Whichever side loses, will lose BIG.
Do they really think the other side will forget what happened and all live in peace after this? Things have gone way too far now.
If Assad wins, he will continue to crack down on the rebels till they can never challenge him again. So the rebels have nothing to lose and everything to gain by continuing to fight.
If the rebels win, then they wont forget everything that the Assad regime and its supporters did to them, and they crack down on those supporters. So the regime supporters now have nothing to lose by continuing to fight.
There will be many more killings to come. Even after one side wins.