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Attack on US embassy foiled
12/09/2006 12:27 - (SA)
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| Syrian security forces and firefighters in front of the US embassy in Damascus after an attack on the embassy. (Bassem Tellawi, AP) |
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Damascus - Armed Islamic militants attempted to storm the US embassy in Damascus in a bold attack on Tuesday using automatic rifles, hand grenades and at least one van rigged with explosives, the government said.
Syrian security forces killed three of the attackers and no Americans were hurt.
The attackers apparently did not breach the high walls surrounding the white embassy compound in a diplomatic neighbourhood of the Syrian capital.
Guard killed
A Chinese diplomat was slightly injured by a stray bullet during the attack, China's government news agency said.
A witness said one Syrian guard outside the embassy also was killed, but the government did not immediately confirm that.
At the embassy in Damascus, as at most American embassies worldwide, a local guard force patrols outside the compound's walls while US marine guards are mostly responsible for guarding classified documents and fighting off attackers inside the compound.
Tension over Lebanon war
The attack came at a time of high tension between the United States and Syria over the recent Israeli-Hezbollah war in neighbouring Lebanon, and a time of high anti-American sentiment in Damascus.
Syria has seen previous attacks by Islamic militants. In June, Syrian anti-terrorism police fought Islamic militants near the defence ministry in a gun battle that killed five people and wounded four.
Car rigged with explosives
After the attack, pools of blood lay splattered on the sidewalk outside the embassy, along with a burned car apparently used by the attackers. A sports utility vehicle with US diplomatic tags had a bullet hole through its front window, and the glass windows of nearby guard houses also were shattered.
There were conflicting reports of what happened.
Syrian TV said one car was rigged with explosives but never was detonated by the attackers. But one witness said a second car did explode, and TV footage from the scene showed a burned car.
Terrorist attack
The Syrian interior ministry, which is in charge of police, said a fourth attacker was wounded in the incident, which it called a "terrorist attack".
The report, carried on state-run television, said anti-terror units brought "the situation under control" and an investigation was under way.
In Washington, a US state department spokesperson confirmed the attack by "unknown assailants" but had few details.
"Local authorities have responded and are on the scene," said spokesperson Kurtis Cooper said. He said he had no further information.
- AP
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