Syria says Israel hit military research centre
31 January, 2013
DAMASCUS: An Israeli air strike hit a military research centre near Damascus at dawn on Wednesday, the Syrian army said, denying reports that the raid targeted a weapons convoy near the Lebanese border. Residents who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, however, said the strike targeted a non-conventional weapons research centre some 15 kilometres northwest of the Syrian capital. "Israeli fighter jets violated our airspace at dawn today and carried out a direct strike on a scientific research centre in charge of raising our level of resistance and self-defence," Syria's army said. The raid came "after terrorist groups made several failed attempts in the past months to take control of the site," its general command said, referring to rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The warplanes entered Syrian airspace via Mount Hermon, the army said in the statement carried by state media. "They... carried out an act of aggression, bombarding the site, causing large-scale material damage and destroying the building," state television quoted the military as saying. Two site workers were killed in the strike, said the army. End.
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