Attacco in Siria

Forse una pianificata estensione del conflitto in tutto il medio oriente?

DAMASCUS, Syria - Explosions and heavy gunfire were heard Tuesday night in a diplomatic neighborhood in the Syrian capital.

Area residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the explosions rocked the Mazza area, where the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iran and others are located. The British and Iranian ambassadors have their residences in the area.

Security forces sealed off the area, the residents said.

In London, a British Foreign Office official said an explosion and shooting was heard near the Iranian ambassador’s residence and in the vicinity of the British ambassador’s residence.

"At the moment, there are no injuries to U.K. Embassy staff. Our staff are in the process of assessing the situation," the Foreign Office official said on condition of anonymity.

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian security forces clashed with a "terrorist band" late Tuesday in Damascus, Syrian television reported. Explosions and gunfire were heard in a neighborhood where foreign diplomats live and work.

There was no immediate word on casualties.

Syrian political analyst Imad Shuaibi told Al-Jazeera? that Syrian police killed one attacker and the second was taken to a hospital unconscious.

Shuaibi said electricity was cut off in the area where the explosions took place close to the Saudi consulate, the British ambassador’s residence and the Iranian Embassy.

Al-Jazeera? reported that car bombs were used in the attack and that heavy exchanges of gunfire were continuing late into the night.

Al-Arabiya? quoted a witness saying more than 15 explosions were heard.

Syria has been on the U.S. State Department’s list of terror-sponsoring nations for its support of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah that attack Israel. Syria, though, says the anti-Israeli groups are not terrorist, and that it has an interest in fighting Islamic extremist groups like al-Qaida.