Car Bomb Near Syria Defense Ministry Kills 1, Injures 18 in Damascus

A car bomb explosion near a Defense Ministry building in Damascus on Tuesday killed one soldier and wounded at least 18 people, according to Syrian authorities. The blast occurred in the capital's central Bab Sharqi district.

The Defense Ministry stated that soldiers from an army unit had discovered an improvised explosive device planted near the site. As they moved to defuse that device, a car bomb exploded nearby, killing one member of the military. The ministry described the blast as occurring outside a building linked to the ministry.

Najib al-Nassan, head of Syria's ambulance and emergency directorate, said the wounded were transferred to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Social media videos from the scene showed plumes of smoke rising as firefighters worked to extinguish a resulting blaze.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, similar incidents in the past have been attributed to the Islamic State group.

Security incidents, including explosions targeting military and civilian vehicles, have occurred intermittently in Syria. The country's security situation remains complex following the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad in late...