Friday's deadly twin car bombings in Damascus are believed to be the first large-scale attacks of their kind since the start of Syria's opposition protests nine months ago.

The government says it suspects al-Qaida militants may be responsible for the blasts.

However, some opposition groups have expressed doubts about the government's claim.

The Syrian General Revolution Commission called the bombings a “familiar pathetic move from the Syrian government.” The Syrian National Council also said it suspected government involvement in the blasts.

Several world powers have condemned the attacks, without assigning blame.

The French news agency says Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernardo Valero said his country did not have any “details on the origin of these attacks.” He had been asked by reporters if he thought Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government staged the blasts.

The U.S. State Department condemned the bombings “in the strongest terms.” In a Friday statement, a State Department spokesman also repeated U.S. calls for a “peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy” in Syria.