{"id":187759,"date":"2026-07-02T15:33:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T15:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/187759\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T15:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T15:33:10","slug":"at-least-five-killed-16-wounded-as-bomb-blast-rips-through-cafe-in-damascus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/187759\/","title":{"rendered":"At least five killed, 16 wounded as bomb blast rips through cafe in Damascus"},"content":{"rendered":"

DAMASCUS, Syria \u2014 A bomb went off at a cafe in central Damascus on Thursday, killing at least five people and wounding 16, Syrian authorities said.<\/p>\n

The blast took place near the capital\u2019s Palace of Justice, a key government building, sparking scenes of panic in the busy area.<\/p>\n

An AFP correspondent saw ambulances weaving their way through traffic with their sirens blaring as they headed to the site, and security forces cordoned off the area of the blast.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe explosion that occurred in a cafe near the Palace of Justice in Damascus resulted from an explosive device planted in the location,\u201d state television said, after earlier reporting said authorities were seeking to determine the source of the blast.<\/p>\n

Nour Khayyat, 40, who owns a shop selling batteries for solar panels near the site of the explosion, told AFP that \u201cat about 3:00 p.m. (1200 GMT), I heard a powerful blast and the storefront shook.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cPeople rushed to the cafe and called ambulances,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

BREAKING | Explosion in a coffee shop near the Justice Palace in Damascus, Syria. pic.twitter.com\/qkbD7x28sf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Mohammed al-Zahabi, the owner of a glasses shop next to the targeted cafe, was trembling as he told AFP that \u201cafter the blast, I felt strong pressure, and the whole place shook.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI ran to the place and saw people lying on the floor with blood pooled around them everywhere,\u201d he added, saying the scenes recalled the blasts that Damascus experienced during the nearly 14-year civil war.<\/p>\n

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.<\/p>\n

Damascus has been the site of multiple attacks and incidents since the new authorities took over following the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.<\/p>\n

The deadliest came in June 2025, when an attack on a Damascus church killed 25 people.<\/p>\n

The suicide attack was later claimed by a Sunni Islamist group, while the authorities blamed it on the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n

AP contributed to this report.<\/p>\n


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