Syria Repels Attack on US Embassy in Damascus

叙利亚挫败对大马士革美国大使馆袭击

The Syrian government says security forces killed three terrorists and wounded a fourth as they tried to detonate a car bomb outside the U.S. embassy in Damascus early Tuesday. State media report that one Syrian security guard was killed and at least 11 bystanders were injured, including a Chinese diplomat. No Americans were hurt.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked Syria for repelling the attack. She said it is too early to say who was responsible for the assault.

Witnesses say the gunmen shouted Islamic slogans as they tried to throw grenades over the embassy compound's walls. They describe black smoke rising into the sky and the sound of heavy gunfire and explosions echoing from the area around the embassy.

叙利亚政府说，保安部队打死3名恐怖份子，打伤一名。这些人星期二早上在驻大马士革的美国大使馆外面试图引爆一枚汽车炸弹。叙利亚官方媒体报导说，还有一名叙利亚保安卫兵丧生，至少11名旁观者受伤，其中有一名中国外交官。没有美国人受伤。

美国国务卿赖斯感谢叙利亚挫败这起袭击。她表示，确定进行这起袭击的是什么人目前还为时过早。

目击者说，高呼伊斯兰口号的枪手向大使馆院墙内投掷手榴弹。他们还看到黑烟升向天空，听到美国大使馆区周围传来激烈的枪声和爆炸声。