At least two rocket-propelled grenades have hit a building of Syria's governing Baath Party in the capital Damascus, residents and activists¹ say.

当地居民称，叙利亚执政党复兴党在首都大马士革的一座建筑遭到至少两枚火箭弹袭击。

Protests have taken place in towns and cities across Syria since March
One witness said security forces had blocked off（阻挡，封锁） the square where the office is located, while smoke was seen rising from the building.

If confirmed, it would be the first such attack reported inside the capital since the uprising began in March.

It comes amid growing fears of civil war in Syria, after months of unrest.

Foreign journalists are unable to move around Syria freely, making it difficult to verify reports.

The opposition² Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC) said "several" RPG rockets were shot at the Baath Party building in the Mazraa neighbourhood and that two fire brigades have been dispatched（调度，派遣） to the area.

'Message to the regime'

An unnamed witness told the Reuters news agency the attack happened before dawn and said the building was mostly empty.

"Security police blocked off the square where the Baath's Damascus branch is located. But I saw smoke rising from the building and fire trucks around it," he told Reuters

"It seems to have been intended as a message to the regime," he added.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed³ to continue his crackdown on opposition groups despite mounting international condemnation⁴（谴责，定罪） .

"The conflict will continue and the pressure to subjugate⁵ Syria will continue," he told Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

"However, I assure you that Syria will not bow down and that it will continue to resist the pressure being imposed on it," he added.