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Syrian Observatory: Spate of Bombings Killed at Least 83

A spate of car bombings in Damascus on Thursday killed at least 83 people, including more than 60 in an attack near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party, a watchdog said.

The most lethal attack, in central Damascus, was by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives-laden car near the entrance of the Baath party's main offices, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

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Eichhorst Urges Effective Implementation of Disassociation Policy

European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst said on Friday that armed groups are moving daily between Lebanon and Syria, considering that the disassociation policy adopted by the government requires actual implementation.

“Armed groups shouldn't be allowed to move between Lebanon and Syria as they are threatening the situation locally,” Eichhorst said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

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Turkey Says Aid Pledge for Syrian Refugees 'Unfulfilled'

Turkey on Thursday accused the international community of failing to honor financial pledges made last month to help Syrian refugees who have fled their war-ravaged country.

International donors at a Kuwait conference on January 30 pledged almost $1 billion (759 million euros) in aid to countries hosting stricken Syrians.

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FSA Chief of Staff Warns Nasrallah: We Know How to Get to You

General Selim Idriss, chief of staff of the rebel Free Syrian Army, on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, describing him as a “criminal” and “leader of Shabiha.”

"The killer does not belong to a religion, sect or nationality, and any killer will be killed eventually," Idriss said, according to a statement issued by the Joint Command of the Free Syrian Army.

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Opposition Denounces Damascus 'Terrorist' Bombing

Syria's main opposition group, the National Coalition, denounced as "terrorists" those behind a deadly car bombing in Damascus on Thursday, regardless of who carried it out.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Coalition stressed that "any acts targeting civilians with murder or human rights violations are criminal acts that must be condemned, regardless of the perpetrator or the justification".

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FSA Denies Shelling Hizbullah Positions in Lebanon, Syria

Conflicting reports emerged on Thursday that the Free Syrian Army had shelled Hizbullah positions in Lebanon and Syria, various media outlets said.

The FSA said that the attacks targeted a Hizbullah artillery position in Lebanon's Hermel region in the Bekaa, reported al-Arabiya.

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Hague Urges Respect for Constitutional Timetable, Welcomes Cooperation with Bulgaria on Bus Attack

British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged on Thursday for consensus among rival lawmakers on an electoral draft-law and welcomed Lebanon's commitment to cooperate with Bulgarian authorities on the probe into a deadly attack on Israeli tourists last year.

“In these difficult times, it is important that political forces in Lebanon come together in a spirit of dialogue and consensus to agree a process that respects the constitutional timetable for this year's elections,” Hague said after talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.

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Hariri: Govt. Allowing Hizbullah to Jeopardize National Security through Meddling in Syria Conflict

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri criticized on Thursday the government's silence over Hizbullah members' alleged fighting in Syria alongside regime forces.

He slammed in a statement “the unconscious government's allowing of Hizbullah to jeopardize national security through its intervention in the conflict.”

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Mansour Denies Hizbullah Involved in Battles in Syrian Territories

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour denied on Thursday reports saying that Hizbullah fighters are engaged in battles in villages near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

“Sometimes the media report inaccurate news,” Mansour said in an interview with Russia Today on the sidelines of the first Arab-Russian forum held in Moscow.

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Samaha Said he Sought to 'Create a Shock' and Knew about Informer

Former Information Minister Michel Samaha, who was indicted in bombing attack plots on political and religious figures in Lebanon, has said he “wanted to create a shock.”

On Wednesday, Military Examining Magistrate Riyad Abu Ghida indicted Samaha, who was arrested in August, and Syrian security official Brig. Gen. Ali Mamlouk on terrorism charges and called for the death sentence.

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