A bomb exploded inside a cafe in central Damascus on Thursday afternoon, killing and wounding an as yet unconfirmed number of people, according to Syrian state media. The blast occurred on al-Naser Street in the Hejaz district, roughly 100 metres from the Palace of Justice, the capital’s main judicial complex. Witnesses described a powerful detonation that shook nearby buildings, sending panicked crowds into the street and leaving bodies on the cafe’s outdoor terrace.

Syria’s interior ministry said the explosion was caused by an “explosive device” planted at the site. The official SANA news agency, citing the head of emergency health services, initially reported five dead and 16 wounded, while the health ministry later gave a provisional toll of six killed and 22 injured. The Syrian Bar Association’s head, Mohammed al-Tawil, said the cafe was a known rest stop for lawyers and that at least six lawyers were among the dead. Security forces cordoned off the area and ambulances ferried casualties to al-Mujtahid Hospital and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent hospital.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The Damascus governor, Maher Marwan Idlibi, described the device as “primitive” and pledged that those responsible would be held to account. The blast is the deadliest in the capital since a suicide bombing at a church in June 2025 killed 25 people, an attack authorities blamed on the Islamic State group. Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Damascus has experienced a series of security incidents, including a car bomb that killed a soldier in May and the assassination of a Shiite cleric claimed by IS.

Investigations are ongoing, and authorities have not yet identified any suspects. The interior ministry said it would release preliminary findings shortly. Casualty numbers remain provisional as rescue teams continue to search the wreckage.