Deadly car bombing hits Damascus
At least 17 killed in car bomb explosion in Syrian capital Damascus
Damascus: A car bombing on a crowded residential street in the Syrian capital killed 17 people on Saturday, Syrian television reported.
The car bombing on Mahlak Street, near the junction to the Damascus International Airport, also injured 14 people, including children.
Anti-terror units were investigating the incident, which Syrian Interior Minister Bassam Abdul Majid called a "terrorist act".
The minister said all of the victims were civilians. He declined to say who was behind the blast.
"We cannot accuse any party. There are ongoing investigations that will lead us to those who carried it out," Abdul Majid told state TV.
The explosion occurred at the intersection leading to Saydah Zeinab, a shrine for Shiite Muslims that is frequently visited by pilgrims. An intelligence building is also located in the area.
Police have sealed off the area, blocking motorists and pedestrians from approaching the blast site.
Television showed smashed car windshields and shattered windows in nearby residential buildings and a large crater filled with water at the blast site.
