UN condemns Syria blasts

The wreckage of two deadly blasts in Damascus stand as a monument to a ceasefire in tatters.

The suicide car bombs killed 55 people and wounded 372 on Thursday.

They're the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 14 months ago.

The head of the U.N. monitoring mission in Syria condemned the attack in the strongest terms.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF U.N. MONITORING MISSION IN SYRIA, MAJOR-GENERAL ROBERT MOOD, SAYING:

"These are deplorable acts. It needs to stop. Whomever, whomever inside Syria or outside Syria that is supporting this, they need to understand that it's only giving more suffering to the Syrian people. They have to stop and give the Syrian people a chance to move in a peaceful direction without having innocent people being killed in the street."

The UN Secretary-General's spokesman said the only way to stop the bloodshed was to abide by the April 12 ceasefire.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESPERSON FOR THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL, MARTIN NESIRKY, SAYING:

"There is an urgent call on all sides fully to comply with their obligations to cease armed violence in all its forms, and to protect civilians, as well as to distance themselves from indiscriminate bombings and other terrorist acts.''

The rebels say they are ready to resume attacks on government forces as soon as the peace initiative is declared to have failed.

Lily Grimes, Reuters