At least 50 people killed by Syrian military bombs

A gas station was bombed by the Syrian military killing at least 50 and wounding many more in the town of Ain Issa in the northern part of the country on Thursday.

The town approximately 30 miles away from the border crossing with Turkey which rebel fighters gained control over on Wednesday.

 Activists said that the Syrian military may have carried out the air strike as revenge after being defeated by the rebels.

 Salar al-Kurdi, a correspondent with the Opposition Shaam News Network (SNN), said the attack took place because the Free Syrian Army rebels had taken control over the area. “It’s a massacre,” he said.

Half a dozen mangled and burning cars and trucks at the gas station were seen on video footage of the aftermath with black smoke still rising into the air.

Debris and flesh scattered around the gas station was captured on other video footage together with deep holes created by the bomb explosions, while more footage showed at least four burned corpses wrapped in blankets and sheets.

 The Local Coordination Committees (LCC) reported that people were being stopped by government security forces from entering or leaving a hospital where wounded persons from the attack were being taken.

The LCC said it might be because the security forces suspected some of those injured in the attack to be rebel fighters adding that snipers were being positioned on the roof of a local police headquarters as security was increased in the city of Raqqah.

 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based opposition group, said a helicopter was shot down by rebel forces on the outskirts of Damascus shortly before the bomb strike.

A number of Damascus suburbs continued to be heavily shelled by the Syrian military throughout Thursday leaving dozens dead or injured.