A massive car bomb exploded Thursday in Damascus, Syria, near the headquarters of the ruling political party.
Syrian state media referred to the attack as a suicide bombing by "terrorists" who oppose the government and President Bashar al-Assad, according to the AP.
Syrian media also reported that 53 people died. But rebel activists put the toll at 59. That figure exceeds Damascus' most deadly attack of the two-year conflict — a double suicide bombing that killed 55 last May.
