The Syrian government has been blaming al-Qaeda for Monday's attacks in Idlib and Damascus.

 

On the presence of al-Qaeda fighters in the country, Rami Khoury, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Beirut, said: "There are probably some al-Qaeda inspired terrorists groups who are operating in Syria."

 

"Some of them came from Iraq and Afghanistan. They have been operating for many years in Syria but the Syrian government had them under control. It is possible that some of them have resurfaced again." Khoury told Al Jazeera

He said that most people believe that none of the bombs were set off by "the mainstream opposition".

 

"The mainstream opposition in Syria is peaceful, demonstrating in the streets and getting killed regularly. They do not have the means; they don’t have the motive; they don’t have the desire to use these kinds of terrorist attacks."