{"id":739292,"date":"2026-07-02T17:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T17:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/739292\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T17:00:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T17:00:09","slug":"at-least-six-killed-in-explosion-inside-central-damascus-cafe-conflict-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/739292\/","title":{"rendered":"At least six killed in explosion inside central Damascus cafe | Conflict News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"article__subhead\">Blast at a cafe in Damascus reportedly kills six and wounds more than a dozen people.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"avatar\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/author\/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783011609_4_2017-06-08T131939Z_1189275883_RC11B0FE7F20_RTRMADP_3_GULF-QATAR-JAZEERA-1714943623.jpg\"   aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Published On 2 Jul 20262 Jul 2026<\/p>\n<p>An explosion at a cafe in central Damascus has killed at least six people and injured 22, according to Syria\u2019s Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n<p>The explosion was reported at around 3:24pm local time (12:24 GMT) inside a cafe on al-Nasser Street in the al-Marjah district, close to the Palace of Justice, according to Syrian state media.<\/p>\n<p>Syrian state television said the blast was caused by an explosive device.<\/p>\n<p>Footage from the site showed severe damage to the cafe with blood smeared on the floor.<\/p>\n<p>An investigation into the cause of the explosion has been launched with a number of government and private surveillance cameras in the area, said Milad Fadl, Al Jazeera\u2019s Syria correspondent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTraces of blood are all over the ground; the Interior Ministry is trying to gather evidence to see who is responsible,\u201d Fadl said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cResidents in the area gave first aid to the injured until the ambulances arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Security forces initially cordoned off the area, fearing a secondary explosion.<\/p>\n<p>They have not yet gathered enough evidence to identify a perpetrator, Fadl said, but security forces have been working to uncover sleeper cells operating in the country, seeking to destabilise the new government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey said there are parties who do not want stability in Syria and so will, from time to time, conduct operations like this,\u201d said Fadl.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSecurity forces have arrested other cells like this, like after [another explosion] and there have been several security operations that lead to arrests.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The Palace of Justice, which lies about 40 metres (131 feet) away from the cafe, has held trials for high-profile members of the former al-Assad government.<\/p>\n<p>This week, Syria\u2019s former grand mufti, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/11\/16\/syrian-president-abolishes-position-of-grand-mufti\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ahmad Badr al-Aldin Hassoun<\/a>, stood trial at the Palace of Justice.<\/p>\n<p>Maher Marwan, the governor of Damascus, said that the security situation in the capital has improved in recent months, but it will take time for the Syrian state to guarantee complete stability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe more Syria attains stability, the more there are those who want to damage it,\u201d Marwan told reporters near the site of the explosion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe coming hours will reveal everything and those who shed the blood of Syrians will pay, but Syria will be well as long as we are one hand and this will not shake the Syrian state,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The area was busy due to the trials and nearby marketplaces when the blast took place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we arrived on the scene, a lot of people were gathered \u2026 Official government sources say the death toll could increase,\u201d said Obaida Hitto, an Al Jazeera correspondent in Damascus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Blast at a cafe in Damascus reportedly kills six and wounds more than a dozen people. 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