Syria: Military Bus Blast Kills 18 Soldiers

Facts

• At least 18 soldiers were killed and 27 injured on Thursday when an explosive device detonated on a military bus in the Damascus countryside, according to local Syrian media.
• No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and Syrian authorities have not directly commented on it as of yet.
• This bus bombing is one of the deadliest attacks in months against Syrian government troops not actively engaged in the front lines of battle. Bus attacks have been on the rise, including in and around Damascus.
• A bombing nearly a year ago killed 14 soldiers near Jisr al-Raes in the center of Damascus.
• Thursday's attack is the latest violence in Syria's catastrophic 11-year-old war; around 500K people have died in the conflict.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, Middle East Eye, and BBC News.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by MEI. The war in Syria began when the Assad regime brutally cracked down on peaceful protesters calling for freedom and dignity. His country lies in ruin and violence continues - even in Damascus, which was cleared of rebel forces in 2018. Indeed, some analysts are even saying that the opposition may soon see a resurgence.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Al-Monitor. This attack against the government is another terrorist operation by the so-called "opposition." Extremists also attacked Syrian government forces in other parts of the country. In those cases, thankfully, the government can manage such attacks and maintain Syria's stability and security - including from the meddling of actors undermining Assad's legitimate government.