October 21st, 2012
05:02 AM ET

Today's developments in Syria's civil war

[Updated at 11:38 a.m.] At least 58 people have been killed in Syria so far Sunday, including six children and five women, according to the opposition Local Coordination Committees (LCC) of Syria.  Thirty-six of the deaths were in Damascus and its suburbs.

On state-run media, Syria said its military "repelled several infiltration attempts by armed terrorist groups trying to cross the border from Lebanon" into Homs.

Syrian forces also "continued cleansing neighborhoods in Aleppo and its countryside of terrorists," the state-run news agency SANA reported.  And an explosive device in a Damascus suburb injured some bystanders, the SANA report said, again blaming terrorists.

[Updated at 5:54 a.m.] After three days of fluctuating tolls, the fatality count from the Friday blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has been established. It is three, said Lebanon's National News Agency. They are:  Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hassan; First Sg. Ahmad Sahyouni, and a bystander.

[Updated at 5:14 a.m.] Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Sunday that the investigating judge into the assassination of the country's intelligence chief, Brig. Gen Wissam al-Hassan, had requested surveillance data and phone signals, and that the government has approved it.

Al-Hassan was killed along with at least nine others in a car bombing in broad daylight Friday at one of Beirut's busiest intersections.  Accusations over who's responsible has homed in on the Syrian government.

Al-Hassan opposed al-Assad, and he was also leading an investigation into a Lebanese politician accused of working with two Syrian officials to plan attacks inside Lebanon.

[Updated at 5:04 a.m.] Syrian state TV is now reporting that the death toll from the car bombing is 10.

[Posted at 5:02 a.m.] A car bomb went off in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing several people Sunday, the country's state television reported. The report said the attack was carried out by "terrorists," the government's term for rebels.

Meanwhile, Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy to Syria, met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday. His aim: try and broker a cease-fire in Syria before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which begins Friday.

But if history repeats itself, the odds of a cease-fire between Syrian government forces and rebels are stacked against Brahimi.

FULL STORY

Filed under: Syria • Uncategorized • World
soundoff (8 Responses)
  1. Brad

    Is it possible for a special air force unit to fly in and bomb the presidential palace in Damascus? I dont care from which country and I am well aware that many people would be injured and killed, but something has to be done. If you terminate the head of this country, who has no mandate to leave, then the rest of the cards(players) will all fall quickly and collapse.

    October 21, 2012 at 9:42 am | Report abuse |
  2. Brad

    He has no mandate to lead this country.

    October 21, 2012 at 9:43 am | Report abuse |
  3. akud

    Kurds fearful people, dogs

    October 21, 2012 at 12:41 pm | Report abuse |
  4. mary999

    Congratulations CNN, the first ever unbiased article on Syria.

    October 21, 2012 at 12:56 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Jerry

    CNN takes money for broadcasting propaganda for CIA and oppressive governments all over the world.   At the same time – CNN closed real journalism branch and fired 70 investigative journalists.

    CNN's  whistle-blower Amber Lyon (3-time Emmy winner).           Look her up.

    October 21, 2012 at 2:23 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Jerry

    CNN takes money for broadcasting propaganda for CIA and oppressive governments all over the world.   At the same time – CNN closed real journalism branch and fired 70 investigative journalists.  

    CNN narrative on Syria is ordered and paid by US dept. of state.

         
    CNN's  whistle-blower Amber Lyon (3-time Emmy winner).           Look her up.

    October 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Richard

    Seems to me the Syrian military are now engaged in mopping-up missions, right up to the Turkish border. I don't envy the life-expectancy of the rebels, and it's inhumane to urge them to resist until some non-existent cavalry arrives.

    October 21, 2012 at 3:04 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Syed202

    Syria must not yield to cease fire, because the arrogant powers are trying to buy time and arm as well as arm the rebels, and they want to transport more Afghans, Qatries, Saudies as well as Turks. The only cease fire is if the rebels lay down all arms and surrnder for legal trial.

    October 22, 2012 at 7:29 pm | Report abuse |
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