A bomb planted inside a minibus has killed two people and injured 13 others in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, adding to concerns over security in an area that has seen repeated tensions in recent months.
Syrian officials said the explosion happened on Thursday evening in the predominantly Druze district on the outskirts of the capital. Initial findings indicate that an explosive device had been hidden inside the vehicle.
Television footage from the scene showed the charred remains of the white minibus being removed after the blast.
For those nearby, the explosion came without warning.
Shopkeeper Samer Abbas was working just metres from the blast when shrapnel struck the front of his clothing store.
"It was a strong unnatural sound," he told Reuters.
His immediate concern was for his son, who had been sitting outside moments before the explosion.
"My blood dried up until I checked up on him... until I heard his voice," Abbas said, describing the fear he felt before discovering his son was unharmed.
At Damascus' Mujtahid Hospital, Bassel Imad waited alongside relatives after his cousin, Safouh, who had been driving the minibus, was brought in injured.
"What happened was very wicked," he said, describing the bombing as "sadistic".
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Jaramana is home to a large Druze population and has become increasingly sensitive since the fall of Syria's former government. Relations between factions within the Druze community and the country's new Islamist leadership have remained strained.
The attack follows months of instability in southern Syria. A United Nations investigation published in March found that more than 1,700 people, most of them Druze civilians, were killed during violence in Sweida province in July 2025. The report said Syrian government forces, tribal fighters and Druze armed groups may all have committed war crimes.
Thursday's bombing is likely to deepen fears over security as Syria continues to grapple with political transition and sectarian tensions.
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted an amendment condemning the mass migrant flows into Spain's North...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the war against Iran was nearing its end and that Tehran wanted to reach a deal, but Iran di...
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port ci...
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks by the Iran-aligned group deepen regional tensions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit overnight.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
Kazakhstan's oil production remains strong, with around 4.4 billion tonnes of recoverable oil reserves - the total volume of oil that can be technically and economically extracted -- while its geological reserves are estimated at 13.2 billion tonnes, according to the country’s Energy Ministry.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held high-level talks in Seoul aimed at expanding South Korean investment, industrial cooperation and partnerships in technology, finance and infrastructure.
From new Asia-Europe trade routes to investment, energy and security cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States has grown far beyond its original focus on shared language and culture.
Central Asia and South Korea are targeting annual trade of $20 billion by 2030, almost double last year’s record of more than $10 billion, following a proposal at their first leaders’ summit in Seoul.
Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan have concluded a two-day visit to Garabagh and Eastern Zangezur, touring key cultural, educational, economic and infrastructure sites in the region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment