Massive Explosion Levels Historic Aleppo Hotel In Syria
A historic Aleppo hotel in Syria was leveled as a result of an explosion, reportedly by the country’s biggest rebel group, the Islamic Front. The hotel has been identified as the Carlton Hotel, which according to ABC News was being used as a government army base in the northern city of Aleppo.
The Huffington Post stated that the explosion set off a “gigantic mushroom cloud next to the historic citadel of Aleppo,” which all but leveled the building. The bombing was reportedly a “powerful show” by rebels to prove “that they can still deal heavy blows at a time of a significant defeat elsewhere.” According to USA Today, the “significant defeat elsewhere” pertained to the cease-fire deal in the central city of Homs, where Islamic Front troops have begun to withdraw from the city after a fierce two-year battle.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting that at least 14 soldiers have been killed in the blast, although the Islamic Front is claiming that they have killed at least 50 soldiers.
Our fighters blow up what remained of the Carlton Hotel in #Aleppo, killing more than 50 of the Assad mercenaries pic.twitter.com/fuXVJv6dwz
— Islamic Front En (@IslamicFront_En) May 8, 2014
There have not been any confirmed number of casualties as of this report, although Syrian TV reported that the rebels blew up the building by tunneling underneath it and planting massive amounts of explosives within the tunnels.
“They use tunnels like rats because they cannot face the Syrian Arab Army,” the correspondent said, adding that the explosion felt like an earthquake to those around Aleppo.
This isn’t the first time the historic Aleppo hotel has been attacked. The Carlton hotel was attacked in February by the Islamic Front, which caused a partial collapse of the building. The attack last February was carried out by placing explosives in tunnels under the building, in a manner similar to today’s attack.
While the February attack ruffled quite a few feathers, Thursday’s attack was much more powerful, not only causing the building to collapse, but also sending smoke in all directions.
The attacks by the Islamic Front are used to win propaganda points from their followers. The group frequently posts to its Twitter page to update the public on their doings. According to the Huffington Post, the group has taken credit for firing mortars into government-held areas and detonating car bombs in residential areas.
Tweets about “IslamicFront_En”
Stay with The Inquisitr as more information becomes available on the attack at the Carlton hotel in Aleppo, Syria.
[Image via Islamic Front En Twitter Feed]
