At least six people were killed and more than 20 were injured in a bomb blast in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Thursday.
The Interior Ministry said an explosive device went off inside a cafe in the Al Hijaz area of the city. A shopkeeper told The National that the cafe near Damascus's Palace of Justice was destroyed.
Forensic investigators were collecting evidence at the cafe, with no attacker yet claiming responsibility for what authorities called a bombing intended to “create chaos”.
Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Idlibi said initial investigations suggested a primitive explosive device had been detonated at the cafe. He said the apparent attack "will not shake the Syrian state".
In its latest update from Damascus, Syria's Health Ministry said that at least six people were killed and 22 more were injured, the state news agency Sana reported. Some of the injuries were described as severe, others mild.
Police sirens could be heard near the site. Speakers from the police cars were calling out “go back to work” to people who had gathered near the site of the explosion.
The incident delivers a setback to Syria's government as the country tries to portray an air of stability. In a flurry of announcements in recent days, Syria has filled its first parliament since the fall of Bashar Al Assad, announced plans for an air travel revival and signalled it will not enter a new conflict in Lebanon.
The US military – once stationed in Syria to fight against ISIS – left its last base in the country in April, as President Ahmad Al Shara offers assurances he can keep extremism at bay despite his own militant background. Mr Al Shara's other opponents include Assad-era officers and soldiers.
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Syrian security forces gather at the site of an explosion at a cafe in the capital Damascus. AFP -
Smashed glass at the scene of the explosion in the Al Hijaz area of the city. AFP -
An emergency worker at the site. Several people were killed and injured in the bomb blast. Reuters -
A police vehicle near the cafe in central Damascus. Reuters -
Members of the media gather. Reuters -
Syrian security forces secure the area around the Palace of Justice. AFP
Internal security forces and ambulance crews rushed to the scene immediately after receiving a report to evacuate the injured and provide medical assistance, the ministry said.
Videos that circulated on social media showed wounded people and blood on the floors of the cafe. The footage could not immediately be verified. A security cordon was also set up to ensure the safety of citizens and secure the surrounding area, the ministry said.
The victims were evacuated to several hospitals, the head of the Health Ministry's Ambulance and Emergency Department told the state news agency.
Mr Idlibi, the Damascus governor, said that the bombing was intended “to create chaos” as Syria “continues its recovery”, Sana news agency reported.
Speaking during a visit to the scene, Mr Idlibi said authorities were working daily to strengthen security and stability in the capital, adding that “anyone who sheds Syrian blood will be punished.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack. Officials said investigations were continuing to identify the culprit and establish their motives.
Syria is struggling to recover from a nearly 14-year civil war that ended with the removal of Bashar Al Assad. His overthrow in 2024 by Ahmad Al Shara, now Syria's president, and his rebel forces effectively ended 14 years of civil war.
Attacks in Damascus have been relatively rare since then. A car bomb killed one Syrian soldier and wounded at least 23 other people outside a defence ministry building in Damascus in May.
A church bombing blamed on ISIS killed 25 people last June in one of Syria's worst attacks since the end of the civil war. ISIS declared war on Mr Al Shara's government in February, calling it illegitimate because of its links with Turkey and the US.
