The death toll from a pair of bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus Thursday has reached at least 55, with another 370 people wounded. The attacks struck near a key intelligence compound used by Syrian forces in the 14-month crackdown on opposition protests. Both government and opposition forces have blamed each other for the blasts, while some have suspected a third party. At the United Nations, a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged all sides to respect a U.N.-brokered ceasefire plan.

Martin Nesirky: “There’s 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. And let me just say that, of course, the Secretary-General strongly condemns today’s attacks in Damascus, which killed more than 50 people and injured scores of others.”