Nine Killed, 20 Injured in Cafe Blast in Central Damascus

Damascus- At least nine people were killed and 20 others injured after an explosion ripped through a cafe in central Damascus on Thursday, according to Syrian interior authorities.

The blast occurred at around 3 p.m. local time inside a cafe on Al-Nasr Street in the Hijjaz area, located about 70 metres west of the Justice Palace. Authorities said the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing around one kilogram and packed with metal fragments.

Security personnel and emergency responders rushed to the scene immediately after the blast, evacuating the injured, providing first aid and securing the area. Officials have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those responsible.

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Earlier, Syria's state-run news agency reported that all those injured had been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far.

Although Thursday's attack remains unclaimed, Syrian security officials have warned that the Islamic State has been attempting to exploit the security vacuum following the fall of the previous Syrian administration by reactivating sleeper cells, recruiting new members and relocating weapons as the country's transitional government works to restore stability.

The blast comes amid a series of recent attacks targeting Syria's new security forces. In June, two soldiers were killed near Manbij in Aleppo Governorate, while another attack in May claimed the lives of two soldiers in Al-Hasakah Governorate when their vehicle was ambushed. Several media reports have suggested possible involvement of the Islamic State in these attacks against the country's newly formed military forces.

With inputs from IANS