AL Observers to Meet Syrian Diplomat as Death Toll of Attacks Rises

A day after terrorist attacks targeted Damascus, Arab League delegation is to meet Syrian officials on Saturday, paving the way for the arrival of a team of observers tasked with monitoring the situation in the country.

Meanwhile, the death toll of suicide bombings that hit two security service bases in the Syrian capital on Friday rose to 44.

"Forty-four people, civilians and security forces, were killed and 166 others injured in the two terrorist operations," the interior ministry said.

The material damage was considerable, the statement on state television said, charging that "the hands of Al-Qaeda were behind" the attacks.

The attacks were the first against the powerful security services in the heart of Damascus since the unrest started last March.

Commenting in the bombings that killed 44 people, AL Assistant Secretary General, Samir Seif al-Yazal, told reporters from one of the attacks site: “What has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm”.

Accompanied by Syria's deputy foreign minister, Faisal Meqdad, Yazal said: “We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem”.
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.

In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.

For his part, Muallem has said he expected the Arab observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of armed terrorists, not overwhelmingly anti-government protesters and militants.

Syria had signed last Monday the Arab League observer mission protocol. The agreement allows observers to monitor the implementation of Arab League's initiative to end the crisis.