'Bomb blast' rocks Syrian capital Damascus

A bomb blast hit capital of war-torn Syria on Sunday and a "terrorist" was arrested, state media said, in a rare attack in city that has been largely insulated from violence.

A Britain-based war monitor said a "huge explosion" near a military intelligence office in sourn Damascus h left a number of people de and wounded.

State news ncy SANA said that a "bomb blast" h caused an explosion "without leaving any victims".

"re is confirmation of reports that a terrorist has been arrested," it said.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor told AFP that " explosion took place near a security branch in south of city".

"re are some people killed and injured but we could t verify toll immediately," it said.

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It was unclear if blast was caused by a bomb that was planted or a suicide attack, according to monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside country.

It said that shooting followed explosion.

Syria is locked in a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 spiralled into full conflict.

Damascus has been largely spared worst of violence during country's brutal nearly eight-year war, but several bomb attacks have shaken city.

Ar bombing Sunday killed three people and wounded nine ors in rrn Syrian city of Afrin on first anniversary of a Turkish offensive on Kurdish-majority region, Observatory said.

With key military backing from Russia, President Bashar al-Ass's forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihists, and w control almost two-thirds of country.

Syrian regime in May reclaimed a final scrap of territory held by Islamic State group in sourn Damascus, cementing total control over capital for first time in six years.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that Sunday's blast appeared to be first attack in Damascus since a car bomb over a year ago that caused casualties.

city has been hit repeatedly by bloody bombings throughout Syria's devastating conflict.

In March 2017 a double suicide attack claimed by Al-Qaeda's former affiliate in country killed 74 people, including dozens of Iranian pilgrims visiting religious sites in historic Old City.

That was followed a few days later by bombings claimed by Islamic State group at a courthouse and restaurant that killed 32 people.

One of most high-profile attacks in capital saw a bomb kill Ass's bror-in-law Assef Shawkat, a top security official, and minister of defence at a command centre in July 2012.

Since regime forces reclaimed control of Damascus and surrounding regions security forces have removed many of security checkpoints that dotted city.

Government troops have largely pushed remaining rebel and jihist forces into rthwestern province of Idlib, while IS holds a few dwindling pockets of territory.

Afrin blast was result of a bomb placed in a bus in centre of city, according to Observatory.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.

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