Syria why attack

The attack, part of the government campaign to regain control of areas still in opposition hands, was the worst violence in the region since a truce in March last year was negotiated by Turkey and Russia, allies of the opposition and Syrian government, respectively. The bloody day in Syria shook a relative calm that had taken hold in the war-torn country in recent months.

While the conflict remains unresolved, a decade later, military activities have subsided. Forces of President Bashar Assad now control much of Syria after military support from allies Russia and Iran helped tip the balance of power in his favor. The explosions in Damascus, which also left several wounded, happened at a busy intersection near a main bus transfer point where commuters and schoolchildren typically converge.

After the blasts, Syrian state TV showed footage of smoke rising from a charred bus as soldiers hosed down the vehicle and onlookers flocked to a nearby bridge to watch. A little known group calling itself the Qasioun Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the bombs were attached under the bus. The attack was one of the most violent since the truce in the northwest, which has been repeatedly violated. Government forces often vow to take territories still out of their control.

One of the last major explosions to take place was in — when suicide bombers hit a judicial office building and a restaurant, killing nearly 60 people. United States officials believe Iran was behind a drone attack last week at a military outpost at al-Tanf in southern Syria where American troops are based.

Officials said Monday the US believes that Iran provided resources and encouraged the attack, but that the drones were not launched from Iran, The Associated Press news service reported. The drones were Iranian, and Iran appears to have facilitated their use, officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been made public. Officials said they believe the attacks involved as many as five drones laden with explosive charges, and that they hit both the US side of al-Tanf garrison and the side where Syrian opposition forces reside.

There were no reported injuries or deaths as a result of the attack but it comes in a period of rising tensions between the US and Iran. US and coalition troops are based at al-Tanf to train Syrian forces on patrols to counter Islamic State militants. The base is located on a road that serves as a vital link for Iranian-backed forces from Tehran to southern Lebanon and Israel.

Tensions between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces have increased in recent weeks. Turkish officials have also hinted at a potential push into Kurdish-controlled territory in northeastern Syria.

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