Deadly explosions rock Syrian city Aleppo Explosions rocked Syria's northern city of Aleppo on Friday, killing soldiers and civilians, Syrian state television and activists said. State television reported "two terrorist explosions" in the city that it said had been targeted at a branch of military intelligence and a security force base. No figures were given on how many civilians and military personnel had been killed or wounded. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted residents as saying three blasts had occurred, including one near a security forces" building in the city. They also reported hearing gunfire. A resident said an area around a military intelligence complex in the New Aleppo district had been sealed after the explosions. Aleppo, Syria's main commercial hub, had been relatively quiet during the 11-month uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime but has had increasing protests and violence in recent weeks. On December 23, suicide car bombers struck Damascus in what was then the bloodiest violence in the capital since the revolt against Mr Assad began. At least 44 people were killed and the government blamed al-Qaeda for the attack, which took place one day after the arrival of an Arab League observer mission. On January 6, a suicide bomber killed 26 people and wounded 63 in Damascus. Ibrahim al-Shaar, Syria's interior minister, vowed an "iron-fist response" to the attack.