Motorbike bomber kills five outside Damascus mosque

DAMASCUS // A motorcycle bomb exploded as worshippers left a mosque after Friday prayers in northern Damascus, killing five members of the security forces and injuring several other people, Syrian state television said.

"A terrorist attack carried out with a motorcycle loaded with explosives struck the exit of Rukniyeh mosque as worshippers were making their way out," the broadcaster said.

"The terrorist attack killed five members of the security forces and injured several others," it added, updating an earlier casualty toll.

Anti-regime protests have been held in towns and cities across Syria every Friday following weekly Muslim prayers since the March 2011 outbreak of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

The latest protests were being held under the slogan of "Besieged Homs is calling us," referring to the city in central Syria that has been under army siege for several months.