A bomb blast at a restaurant in Damascus on Thursday killed six people and wounded 22, authorities said, in the latest challenge to Syria’s Islamist leaders seeking to bring stability to the country after more than a decade of war.
The blast – the worst since a suicide attack on a church last year – was not immediately claimed.
It took place near the capital’s House of Justice, the main government building, and caused panic in the busy area.
Ambulances circled traffic with their sirens blaring as they made their way to the scene, and security forces cordoned off the blast site.
“The explosion in a restaurant near the Palace of Justice in Damascus was caused by an explosive device planted in the area,” state television said.
Nour Khayyat, 40, who owns a solar panel battery shop near the site, said that “around 3pm, I heard a loud explosion and the front of the shop shook”.
