On July 19, an explosion rocked the center of the district of Dummar north of the Syrian capital of Damascus. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) confirmed the incident and said that at least one civilian was injured.
3. More images from the scene, unknown cause. pic.twitter.com/RI89VYu0aC
— Danny Makki (@Dannymakkisyria) July 19, 2018
Minutes later, local sources released photos of what appears to be a DIY rocket in the explosion site. This led local observers into believing that the explosion in Dummar was the result of a failed rocket attack on the Syrian Presidential Palace, which is located only 1km south of the district.
Click to see full-size image
The rocket was likely launched from the former opposition-held areas in the region of Eastern Ghouta. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, observers believe that cells of the former branch of al-Qaeda, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), were behind it.
The rocket attack is considered a violation of the reconciliation agreement around Damascus. In spite of that, the Syrian authorities will likely work with the local committees in the reconciliation areas in order to reveal the perpetrators of the attack and hold them accountable for it.
