Car bomb in Syrian capital leaves 1 dead, 23 injured: What to know
Tuesday's bombing is the latest in a string of recent security incidents in Damascus.
A Syrian soldier was killed by a car bomb in Damascus on Tuesday and at least 23 other people were injured in the latest security incident in the capital.
What happened: The Syrian official news outlet SANA reported that the blast occurred in the Bab al-Sharqi area of Damascus. A military unit discovered a bomb near the Ministry of Defense and was working to dismantle it when the explosion occurred, according to the outlet.
A soldier was martyred and several others were wounded after a car bomb exploded near a Defense Ministry building in the Bab Sharqi area of Damascus, the Defense Ministry’s Media and Communication Directorate told SANA.#Damascus#syria pic.twitter.com/8hnEDeeXll
— SANA English (@SANAEnOfficial) May 19, 2026
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that authorities attempted to arrest young men who were allegedly photographing the area.
Renewed fears: Tuesday's bombing is the latest in a string of recent security incidents in Damascus. Shiite cleric Farhan al-Mansour was killed near Damascus earlier this month after a grenade was hurled into his car. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.
Earlier this month, Syrian authorities said they arrested Hezbollah members in the Damascus countryside, Aleppo and other parts of the country for allegedly plotting to assassinate government officials. The Iran-backed Lebanese group called the accusations false.
Syria arrested another group of alleged Hezbollah operatives last September, accusing them of plotting attacks in Damascus.
SOHR reported that ISIS put out a statement last week calling on foreign fighters to fight against Sharaa.
