Deadly Blast in Damascus Followed by Regime Shelling in Rebel-Held Idlib
In a devastating chain of events on October 20, 2021, at least 27 people have died following a bombing on an army bus in Damascus, which triggered a retaliatory shelling by Syrian government forces in the rebel-controlled northwest.
The bombing occurred during rush hour in central Damascus, where two bombs planted on a bus carrying soldiers exploded, killing 14 individuals. This was the deadliest attack in the capital in four years, according to the state news agency Sana. While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the Syrian government quickly responded.
Around an hour after the bombing, government shelling hit the town of Ariha in Idlib province, a stronghold of opposition groups. The shelling targeted a market area and resulted in the deaths of 13 people, including four children on their way to school, and left 20 others wounded. Aid organizations such as Save the Children reported the tragic loss of the young victims.
The bombing in Damascus was the most severe since a 2017 attack by ISIS, which had killed over 30 people. In the aftermath of the explosion, residents of Ariha expressed confusion and anger, with one father sharing the trauma his children faced as they ran for safety amidst the chaos.
This violence reflects the ongoing instability in Syria, as the government and rebel forces continue to engage in tit-for-tat attacks.
