A car bomb exploded near a Defence Ministry building in the Bab Sharqi district of Damascus on Tuesday, killing one Syrian soldier and injuring multiple others [1, 2, 3, 4]. Soldiers had discovered a separate explosive device near the site and were attempting to dismantle it when the car bomb detonated [1, 2, 3, 4].
Casualty figures vary by source. Najib al-Nassan, head of Syria’s ambulance and emergency directorate, said at least 18 people were wounded in the blast and transferred to nearby hospitals for medical treatment [2]. Other sources cited 12 and 21 wounded, respectively [s1,s4; s3]. Medical teams continue to treat and monitor the injured [1, 2, 3, 4].
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack [1, 2, 3, 4]. The explosion comes amid ongoing security challenges following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 and the establishment of a transitional government in January 2025 [3, 4].
Officials are continuing investigations at the site and securing the area around the Defence Ministry complex.
