Bomb blast at Damascus cafe kills six, wounds 22

A bomb exploded inside a cafe on Al-Nasr Street in the al-Hijaz area of central Damascus on Thursday. Syrian state media and authorities reported six people killed and 22 wounded. Reuters cited the Syrian state news agency SANA stating five killed and 16 wounded. AP News reported at least nine killed.

Syrian security sources described a person entering the cafe, placing an improvised explosive device under a table, and leaving before the blast. The cafe is located about 100 metres from the main entrance of the Palace of Justice. Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto reported that the establishment is popular with lawyers, courthouse employees, and visitors.

Many of the wounded are receiving treatment at Al-Mouwasa Hospital, Syrian officials said.

Commander of Internal Security in Damascus Osama Atika and Interior Ministry officers arrived at the site to investigate. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Damascus governor Maher Marwan stated on the courthouse steps that bad actors were trying to destabilise the country. "The coming hours will reveal everything and those who shed the blood of Syrians will pay, but Syria will be well as long as we are one hand and this will not shake the Syrian state," he said.

The Palace of Justice is holding trials of former government figures including Atef Najib, Wassim al-Assad, and Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun. Political analyst Kamal Abdo said up to 10,000 individuals linked to the former government remain at large. The blast follows earlier attacks, including a May 19 car bombing near the Armament Management centre in Bab Sharqi that killed one soldier and wounded 18, and a June 22 bombing at the Mar Elias church in Dwelaa that the ISIL armed group claimed.