At least 9 people were killed and 19 others wounded when an improvised explosive device planted inside a café in central Damascus detonated on Wednesday, with no group claiming responsibility for the blast.
An AFP correspondent saw ambulances rushing to the scene, which was cordoned off by security forces, amid panic and chaos following the explosion in a densely populated area.
Brigadier General Mohammed Kheit of the Damascus internal security forces told official television that the explosion was caused by an explosive device that had been planted inside the café.
A security source said the explosion occurred inside the café during peak hours.
The café is located on a busy commercial and residential street in the heart of Damascus, frequented largely by lawyers and visitors to the adjacent Palace of Justice.
Mohammed Al Dhahabi, the owner of an eyewear shop adjacent to the café, said while trembling in his chair: