Explosion at central Damascus cafe kills 9, injures 20

The death toll from a powerful explosion inside a café in central Damascus has climbed to nine, with 20 others injured, Syrian interior authorities said late Thursday, as investigators launched a probe into the attack that has rattled the heart of the capital.

The blast occurred at around 3:00 pm local time (1200 GMT) after an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing about 1 kg and packed with metal fragments detonated inside a café on al-Nasr Street in the Hijjaz district, just 70 metres west of the Justice Palace, authorities said.

The explosion tore through the busy café, sending emergency responders and security personnel rushing to the scene. Rescue teams evacuated the wounded, administered first aid and secured the area before launching a forensic investigation to establish the circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible.

Earlier, Syria's state news agency SANA reported that all casualties had been transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing so far.

However, the attack comes amid growing security concerns in Syria, where officials have warned that the Islamic State (IS) is seeking to exploit the security vacuum following the ouster of the previous government. Security agencies say the militant group has been attempting to reactivate sleeper cells, recruit new fighters and reposition weapons as the country's transitional authorities work to consolidate control.

The café bombing follows a string of recent attacks targeting security personnel. Earlier in June, two Syrian soldiers were killed near Manbij in Aleppo province, while another attack in Hasakah province on 11 May claimed the lives of two soldiers after their bus came under fire. Although no group has officially claimed those attacks, several media reports have pointed to possible Islamic State involvement.

Thursday's bombing underscores the fragile security situation in Syria, where authorities continue to battle insurgent threats even as the country navigates a turbulent political transition.

With IANS inputs