Russia on Saturday strongly condemned the latest series of terrorist activities in Syria, saying they ran counter to the UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.

"Moscow roundly condemns the barbarous activities and expresses its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims, " the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website, adding the organizers of these attacks should be found and brought to justice.

The ministry said the terrorist attacks had an obvious purpose to undermine Annan's peace efforts in Syria.

The Syrian opposition is attempting to aggravate the situation in the crisis-torn country and provoke violence even at the cost of innocent lives, according to the ministry.

Russia called on the terrorist attacks in Syria "must be repelled decisively" and urged internal as well as external forces to follow the UN Security Council counter-terrorist resolutions so as not to support the terrorists.

A string of bombings hit the Syrian capital of Damascus Friday, killing at least 11 people. The surge in violence dealt a tough blow to a peace plan brokered by Annan.

Annan's six-point plan calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from populated areas, a daily halt of fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid and treatment of the injured, and talks between the government and opposition.

The UN Security Council unanimously decided a week ago to approve the deployment to Syria of up to 300 unarmed UN military observers in order to monitor a fragile ceasefire between the Syrian government forces and armed opposition fighters.

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