6 killed in Damascus café bombing near Palace of Justice

Damascus, July 2 (EFE).- At least six people were killed and 22 others injured on Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated at a café near the Palace of Justice in Damascus, Syrian authorities said.

Syrian state television Al Ijbariya, citing the Health Ministry, said the blast occurred in the Hiyaz area of the Syrian capital. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Interior Ministry confirmed that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device planted at the café. Internal Security Forces established a security perimeter around the site following the blast.

Several ambulances were dispatched to the area, which is frequently visited by legal professionals, to evacuate the injured and provide medical assistance, the state news agency SANA reported.

SANA said authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and identify those responsible.

According to EFE reporters at the scene, Civil Defense teams were deployed while security forces cordoned off the surrounding roads, blocking access to the street in both directions.

«The upcoming investigations will reveal more details, and all those who have shed Syrian blood will face their punishment,» Damascus Governor Maher Marwan said.

He added that «there are forces that lurk in the region’s stability and seek to undermine security,» without identifying any group.

Marwan said the authorities are working to strengthen security and improve stability in the Syrian capital.

The explosion occurred on the same day that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani was on an official visit to Lebanon aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries. EFE

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