Eye-witnesses report trained soldiers in uniforms that then were allowed to escape.<p>This is a false flag attack that serves a number of purposes.  Slowing the push for encryption and generally boosting surveillance and domestic operations is one.  As the western debt grows and the military position becomes thinner, it will become increasingly difficult to maintain the fiat that demands massive resource distribution imbalances.  This will lead to serious shortages in western countries.  In order to maintain power, the state turns its guns and spies inward.<p>But in the meantime the covert operations in Syria have not been completely successful, and since they need to do Syria before Iran (as has been planned for many years) they need to move to overt operations.  This requires the propaganda to motivate it which needs a real event behind it.