Posted on 09/12/2006 12:30:17 AM PDT by Eurotwit
Edited on 09/12/2006 12:46:33 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
10:25 Witnesses: Syrian forces surround U.S. embassy in Damascus, seal off area (Reuters)
10:22 Witnesses: Heavy gunfire heard in central Damascus (Reuters)
10:21 Black smoke said rising from area around U.S. embassy in Damascus (Reuters)
Update
Last update - 10:38 12/09/2006
Witnesses: Gunfire, explosions near U.S. embassy in Damascus
By Haaretz Service and news agencies
Syrian security forces surrounded the U.S. embassy in Damascus early on Tuesday and sealed off the area, witnesses said, adding that heavy gunfire and explosions had been heard in the area.
"It appears that the embassy is coming under attack," one resident in the area told Reuters.
There was no independent confirmation of the initial reports.
The thing with Syria, the United States is almost as much against them as Iran. Since there isn't an embassy in Iran (because of the hostages taken before Reagan can to power?), it would be somewhat understandable if the United States wouldn't have one in Syria.
As for your point of keeping up dialogue, that is of course very logical.
A US embassy guard, contacted by telephone, confirmed the mission was under attack. "This is not the right time," he said, declining to answer question.
?
the crazy thing is i think many (including me, to some degree) believe that once the castro brothers are gone we will have normal relations with cuba within a few years at most. At this point it is a waiting game with a fairly finite endpoint. Castro has sat 90 miles off our shore and defied us for 45+ years successfully, but once he is gone, i think his legacy will be deconstructed in fairly short order. I could be wrong, though.
Happens to the the best of us ;)
Summary so far:
4 dead attackers
(at least) 1 dead syrian guard
No apparent U.S. casualties, all U.S. diplomats reported safe
Embassies are usually in clusters --- like DC's Embassy Row --- although it is also a residential area.
The embassy was closed to the public and the ambassador left - but the staff is still there, and it's still guarded by Marines.
On a separate note, we never had an embassy in North Korea.
They would have, but they had to clear the studio of the champaign and party poppers first. It's taking some time to calm down the stafd.
A Syrian official said four men who tried to storm the embassy were killed.
Witnesses said at least one Syrian guard was killed and a Syrian official told Reuters all U.S. diplomats were safe.
The embassy is in the Rawda area which also houses vital security installations, the houses of senior Syrian officials and other embassies.
The witnesses said Syrian security forces surrounded the embassy building and sealed off the area.
Britain's ambassador to Syria Peter Ford told CNN that the attack did not appear to be a "major al-Qaeda like operation, but an operation by a small group".
The U.S. State Department in Washington said it was checking the reports and had no immediate information.
LOL! Nails it!
Several terrorists apparently tried exploding a vehicle outside the US embassy in Damascus on Tuesday morning, and then exchanged gunfire with US Marines in the area.
The terrorists, according to some reports, drove up to the embassy gate, exited the vehicle and opened fire on embassy guards. The guards then returned fire, after which the vehicle exploded.
Black smoke was seen rising from the building, while explosions and gunfire were heard in the area. Ambulances and fire engines were rushing to the scene.
The fate of the attackers was still unclear, but according to witnesses it appeared they were killed. According to BBC, at least four people were killed in the battle, which included grenades and small arms fire.
Large numbers of Syrian security forces sealed off the compound from pedestrians.
The US ambassador to Syria was recalled some time ago by the Bush administration, while lower-level embassy staff still work in the building.
US President George W. Bush has consistently blamed Syria for facilitating terror attacks on US troops in Iraq from its territory. Along with Iran, Iraq and North Korea - Syria comprises what Bush has coined the "Axis of Evil."
We still have people staffing it and guarding it.
The BBC has made this their main article.
I hope our Marines are armed with loaded weapons this time!
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