A car bomb exploded in the al-Mazraa area of Damascus, Syria’s capital city on Thursday. Fifty-three people are dead and hundreds have been injured, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
The explosion, which occurred near the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party and the Russian embassy, is believed to be the work of rebel forces in what has come to be known as ‘The Battle for Damascus’.
The attack demonstrates how rebels can succeed at getting to the government even inside the capital, which is heavily fortified and protected by checkpoints.
The National Coalition party, official opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s ruling Baath party, condemned the attack.