At least 9 people were killed and 20 wounded when a bomb exploded Thursday in a popular Damascus cafe near the capital’s main judicial complex, according to Syria’s Health Ministry.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said the device was a crude 1-kilogram improvised bomb packed with metal shrapnel; investigators are reviewing camera footage, gathering forensic evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Security forces sealed off the area as ambulances treated victims at the scene and moved the most seriously wounded to hospitals. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
The cafe was frequented by lawyers working nearby, underscoring the attack’s location in a busy central district as Syria’s new rulers continue raids on Islamic State cells but still face persistent security threats.