DAMASCUS, July 25 (Xinhua) -- A series of deadly explosions rocked Syria on Thursday, leaving at least 24 people dead as Damascus accused Washington of fueling its crisis by arming rebels.
A booby-trapped car went off Thursday afternoon at the Jaramana suburb of the capital Damascus, killing 17 people and wounding more than 70 others, according to the state media and activists' Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The state media put the death toll of the blast at ten, while the Observatory said it killed 17 people and also left huge material damage in Jaramana, a pro-government southeastern suburb dominated by Christian and Druze Syrians.
The pro-government al-Ekhbariah TV cited some extremist groups' statements as claiming responsibility for Thursday blast as similar previous ones were usually claimed by the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.
Meanwhile, the local Ajel network said that another explosive- laden car went off in the rebellious suburb of Harasta south of Damascus, killing seven people.
Also in Damascus Thursday, three people were wounded when an explosive device affixed under a car went off near the military airbase of Mazzeh in Damascus, local Syria Press website said.
In the northern province of al-Qamishli, a booby-trapped car ripped through a checkpoint of the Kurd's Unites of Protecting People (YPG) on Thursday, leaving an unknown number of casualties, according to Syria Press. The report added that the al-Qaida- linked Nusra Front was carrying out "ethnic cleansing" campaigns in the Kurdish dominated town of Tal Abiad in northern Syria.
Al-Nusra and Kurdish armed groups have been pitted against each other recently for the control over areas in northern Syria. The Nusra intended to establish an Islamic state in Syria and Iraq.
As the blasts were rocking in several Syrian cities, clashes between the Syrian government troops and the rebels intensified in the southern suburbs of Damascus, according to eyewitnesses, who described rattling sounds of shelling reverberating from restive suburbs into the al-Tijara area.
While the violence was dragging on, Syria's Foreign Ministry slammed Thursday the U.S. intention to arm the Syrian rebels, saying it reveals America's role in fueling the crisis in Syria.
The ministry's remarks came in response to recent media reports that indicated the U.S. desire to press forward with its decision to arm the rebels fighting the Syrian government troops.
"It has become clear that America's intentions aim to prolong terrorism and violence in Syria to destabilize security and stability in the region in favor of Israel's aggressive goals," the ministry said in a statement.
"The United States is dishonest about finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis," the statement said.
Syria's main opposition group in exile, the Syrian National Council, however, welcomed the U.S. intention, regarding it as a " step forward."
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