Hague calls on Assad to go as Syrians suffer more violence
- 11 years ago
A car bomb tears through the Syrian capital Damascus, killing at least 35 people.
The explosion hit a busy highway close to the ruling Baath Party's offices and the Russian embassy.
Activists report three other blasts in the city on Thursday.
The violence - which Syrian state TV blames on "terrorists" - is the latest bloodshed in almost two years of civil war.
Speaking in Lebanon, British Foreign Secretary William Hague reiterated his calls for President Bashar al Assad to go.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WILLIAM HAGUE:
"My message to President al Assad is as always, it is his time to go, the people of Syria and the people of neighbouring countries have experienced enough suffering now and such destruction, such loss of life, such a threat to stability of the whole region should not be endured because one person wishes to stay in power."
Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, has turned into a bloody battlefield between the Free Syrian Army and President Assad's forces.
In video obtained by Reuters, the extent of the destruction is clearly visible on once packed city streets.
The United Nations estimates that 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far, and almost 800,000 Syrians have registered as refugees in the region.
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The explosion hit a busy highway close to the ruling Baath Party's offices and the Russian embassy.
Activists report three other blasts in the city on Thursday.
The violence - which Syrian state TV blames on "terrorists" - is the latest bloodshed in almost two years of civil war.
Speaking in Lebanon, British Foreign Secretary William Hague reiterated his calls for President Bashar al Assad to go.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WILLIAM HAGUE:
"My message to President al Assad is as always, it is his time to go, the people of Syria and the people of neighbouring countries have experienced enough suffering now and such destruction, such loss of life, such a threat to stability of the whole region should not be endured because one person wishes to stay in power."
Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, has turned into a bloody battlefield between the Free Syrian Army and President Assad's forces.
In video obtained by Reuters, the extent of the destruction is clearly visible on once packed city streets.
The United Nations estimates that 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far, and almost 800,000 Syrians have registered as refugees in the region.
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