At least nine people were killed and 20 others were wounded after a bomb went off at a crowded cafe in Damascus on Thursday.

According to Syrian state TV, ​an explosive device had been planted at the ​cafe near the Palace of ​Justice ‌in the center of Syria's capital.

Security forces cordoned off the area where the blast occurred as ambulances rushed to the scene.

Damascus Governor Maher Marwan said all of the victims were civilians, including four lawyers who were at the cafe.

Mohammed al-Zahabi, the owner of a shop next to the targeted cafe, told the AFP news agency that "after the blast, I felt strong pressure, and the whole place shook."

"I ran to the place and saw people lying on the floor with blood pooled around them everywhere," he added.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Uneasy situation in Damascus

Since former-President Bashar Assad was toppled in late 2024, Damascus has been hit by multiple attacks.

In an effort to prevent violence in and around the capital, Syria's new rulers have cracked down on "Islamic State" militants.

The deadliest attack occurred in June of 2025, when 25 people were killed in an attack on a Damascus church. A Sunni Islamist group later claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. 

On May 19, a car bomb exploded outside a Defense Ministry building in Damascus, killing one Syrian soldier and wounding at least 18 others.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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