Three large explosions tore up a central square in the city of Aleppo this morning, where the government and Syrian rebels have staged some of the fiercest fighting of the war in recent weeks. As many as five car bombs were set off in rapid succession in and around Saadallah al-Jabari Square, an area currently controlled by the military. Activists on the ground claim that as many as 40 people have been killed and nearly 100 others injured, and that most were military officers and soldiers. 

As usual, the government blames the attack on terrorists, but in this case it does sound more like the work of experienced terror groups then the armed militias that have been fighting Syria's war with guns and rockets. The two groups have been working ever more closely as Bashar al-Assad has stepped up his efforts to wipe out the rebellion, mostly by concentrating heavy bombing on Aleppo, which serves as major supply point for the rebels. Assad reportedly visited the area yesterday before ordering 30,000 more troops into the battle.

This YouTube video was allegedly taken in the immediate aftermath of the bombings and shows some the devastation.

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Dashiell Bennett