At least two people were killed and 13 others were injuredin a major explosion of an explosive device planted in a passenger van near the Syrian capital Damascus.
The bloody incident took place in the densely populated suburb of Jaramana, located southeast of the capital. The Syrian Ministry of Health confirmed the latest death toll as of 6:45 this morning, while medical teams in nearby hospitals remain on high alert.
Details of the Jaramana attack
The explosion occurred on a narrow shopping street filled with shops and street vendors, which is a prerequisite for the serious number of casualties. A representative of the local security forces told state television "Ekhbariya" (Ekhbariya TV) that according to initial data it was a terrorist act using an improvised explosive device hidden in a taxi van.
Witnesses to the incident described a powerful detonation. To the world news agency Reuters Local resident Samer Abbas said shrapnel hit the window of his shop, and the shockwave caused panic among hundreds of passing citizens. Most of the injured were admitted to the "Al-Mujtahid" hospital in Damascus. No group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
Escalation of tensions in Syria
The attack in Jaramana, an area with a predominantly Druze and Christian population, highlights the complicated situation in the country. As reported by the media As-Suwayda 24 (Suwayda 24 / ANHA), in recent weeks there has been a serious increase in tensions between factions of the Druze minority and the country's interim Islamist government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa. This is the third major explosion in the capital area in just over a month. The previous attacks were carried out in early July during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Damascus.
The official report of The United Nations (UN), published earlier this year, has already raised the alarm about the severe intercommunal conflict in southern Syria, which threatens the fragile political transition after the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024.