Car explosion near Damascus Defense Ministry kills soldier, wounds a dozen

Blast Outside Defense Ministry Building in Damascus

A bomb was found in the Bab Sharqi district of central Damascus and, while soldiers were attempting to dismantle it, a nearby car exploded, killing one member of the military and wounding about a dozen others, state media and the Defense Ministry reported. The ministry said the blast occurred outside a building linked to the Defense Ministry but provided few further details; state TV put the number of wounded at 12, including civilians.

No claim of responsibility; Islamic State previously blamed for similar strikes

There was no immediate claim for Tuesday’s attack, though such bombings have been blamed on or claimed by the Islamic State group in the past. AP notes the broader context that IS has asserted responsibility for similar attacks since insurgent groups entered Damascus and the Assad family was removed from power in December 2024. The Defense Ministry’s terse statement and limited information on the incident left questions about motive and perpetrators unanswered, as reported by AP News

This story has also been reported by: Reuters, Al Jazeera, France 24, ABC News, Al-Monitor, Jerusalem Post