At least 6 killed, 22 wounded in Damascus cafe explosion: What to know
Syrian authorities have yet to identify a perpetrator in relation to the incident, and armed groups opposing the transitional government did not immediately take credit.
A large explosion ripped through a crowded cafe in central Damascus on Thursday, leaving at least six dead.
What happened: The blast occurred at about 3:45 p.m. local time (8:45 a.m. EDT) in one of the cafes on al-Naser Street in the al-Hijaz neighborhood of Damascus. The street measures just a few city blocks and is home to the Palace of Justice, the capital's primary judicial complex. The official SANA news agency reported that six people were killed and 22 others were injured. The Ministry of the Interior said that an “explosive device” was responsible for the blast and that investigations are underway.
Footage from Damascus explosionpic.twitter.com/wgvkHVfwC8
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that the Justice Palace was evacuated following the explosion.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Why it matters: Syria has experienced a number of attacks this year, including in the capital. In May, a Syrian soldier was killed by a car bomb in Damascus. There was no claim of responsibility for the incident. Earlier that month, Shiite cleric Farhan al-Mansour was killed when a grenade was thrown at his car near the city in an attack claimed by the Islamic State.
Syria said it arrested members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah in May for allegedly plotting to assassinate government officials, one of several actions targeting the group. Hezbollah has denied the allegations.
In June, Syrian authorities said they busted a cell linked to former President Bashar al-Assad for plotting espionage and bombing activities in the northwest Idlib province. The same month, Syria said an undersea internet cable was sabotaged off the coast of Tartous.
The Syrian military said its bases along the Iraqi border sustained a drone attack in March.
Assad was overthrown in late 2024 in a rebel offensive led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The group’s wartime leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, now leads a transitional government. Thousands were killed in two bouts of violence last year, largely targeting the Alawite community along the coast and the Druze community in the south, but Syria has otherwise remained relatively stable under the new government.
