DAMASCUS, (SANA)- An explosive device on Monday exploded inside the building of the General Organization of the Radio and Television in Damascus.

SANA reporter was informed that the explosion took place on the third floor of the building and caused a number of injuries.

Information Minister: All Workers Are Safe 

Minister of Information, Omran al-Zoubi, stressed to the Syrian TV by phone that the explosion at the building was the result of an explosive device blast that caused minor injuries and material damage only, assuring that all the workers are safe.

"We know those who stand behind such coward and desperate criminal acts," said al-Zoubi, affirming that the national Syrian media continue to be transparent in reporting the truth and expressive of the Syrian people's aspirations and anguishes.

He stressed that the Radio and TV organization will remain with its verity and transparency "a beacon not only for the media in Syria but also for the Arab media, the most of which now is biased and complicit in the conspiracy against Syria."

Minister al-Zoubi added that the organization will continue work as usual, highlighting that the morale of its cadres is at its best as they are all behind their desks.

Al-Zoubi: Nothing Can Silence Syria and the Syrian People

"The targeting of the institutions of the Syrian media came because of its audacity, credibility, transparency and close contact with the national issues," said the Information Minister, stressing that nothing can silence Syria and the Syrian people.

"We know politically speaking who stands behind these terrorist operations and who funds them and who wants to silence the voice of the people's conscience…We know who wants destruction for this country and who wants to block the truth," said al-Zoubi.

He called on those who seek to subdue the voice of truth not to take pains "because we have thousand places from which we can broadcast in voice and photo."

Al-Zoubi: Conspiracies to Disable National Media Are Desperate and Invalid

The Minister described the conspiracies aimed at disabling the national media as "desperate and invalid" expressing the morals of the perpetrators and those standing behind them in Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israeli Mossad or any other party.

He emphasized that things will be alright "as long as everybody has the will to protect Syria and its institutions and as long as we have a heroic national army."

Syrian TV Workers Resolved to Continue Carrying out their Duties in Uncovering Terrorism

The journalists and workers at the Syrian TV stressed resolve to continue their mission in uncovering terrorism, following the bombing that targeted the building of the General Organization of TV& Radio which ripped through its third floor.

TV Director, Maan Saleh, told SANA that this terrorist act comes as part of the vicious plan targeting Syria carried out by criminal gangs who are implementing foreign agendas, indicating that their freedom means liquidating whoever opposes them.

Saleh said that the voice of the Syrian media won't be silenced by the attack, stressing that the workers are determined to continue in spreading their message day and night.

For his part, journalist Imad Sarah, Director of al-Ikhbariah TV, said that the attack on the building, where al-Ikhbariah is headquartered after destroying its own headquarter in a previous attack, targets the national media to silence its voice, adding that the freedom they are promoting is one of killing and destruction.

''Their terrorism won't weaken the determination of the national media…They have targeted al-Ikhbariah building before , and three minutes later, it was on air…We' will fight for Syria.''

Ranim al-Basha, an anchor, said that she was on air when the explosion happened which did not stop her and her colleagues from carrying out their work, stressing resolve to be fighters in defense of Syria.

Employee Modar Khasro said that some offices, control rooms with technical equipments were damaged in the blast.

Strategic researcher and analyst Salim Harba said that those who committed this terrorist crime have no political doctrine except serving Israel's interests.

He added that national media top these terrorists' target lists as it exposed their reality as killing takfiri terrorists, adding that the order to carry out this terrorist attack against the building of the TV & Radio General Organization came from operation rooms led by satellite channels which are partner in shedding blood in Syria.

Harba stressed that the terrorist attack will not deviate media from continuing its work side by side with the Syrian army forces to defend Syria. 


 

R. Raslan/H. Said/M. Ismael