A car bomb exploded near a Syrian Defence Ministry building in Damascus, killing one soldier and wounding at least 21 people, officials said. State media reported that an army unit discovered an IED in the Bab Sharqi district and that a separate car bomb detonated as troops moved to defuse it. Videos showed smoke and firefighters at the scene, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility. The attack comes amid a pattern of intermittent explosions across Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Car Bomb Near Syrian Defence Ministry Kills Soldier, Wounds 21 in Damascus
A vehicle burns on the street following the explosion in Damascus, Syria [AFP]
A car bomb detonated near a Syrian Defence Ministry building in Damascus on Tuesday, killing at least one soldier and injuring more than 20 people, state authorities said.
According to a ministry statement carried by state media, members of an army unit discovered an improvised explosive device in the Bab Sharqi district. As troops moved to defuse that device, a separate car bomb exploded nearby. Authorities did not immediately provide further operational details.
Casualties and response. Najib al-Naasan, head of Syria’s ambulance and emergency directorate, said at least 21 people were wounded and transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment in addition to the soldier who was killed. Videos shared on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from the scene while firefighters worked to extinguish a blaze.
"At least 21 people were wounded and taken to hospitals," Najib al-Naasan said, according to state media.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Reporting from near the scene, Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett described the security situation in Syria as "quite complex."
Context
Explosions and targeted attacks on military and civilian vehicles have occurred intermittently across Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, following more than 13 years of war, officials and observers say. Recent incidents cited by officials include a car bomb on the outskirts of Manbij last year that killed at least 20 people and a suicide bombing inside a crowded Damascus church that killed at least 25 and wounded dozens. In June 2024 an explosion killed one person in the capital after a device detonated in their car.
The investigation into Tuesday’s blast is ongoing, and authorities have not released additional information about suspects or motives.
Help us improve.
