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Syria crisis: Damascus car bomb 'kills at least 15' Syria crisis: Damascus car bomb 'kills 15'
(about 3 hours later)
A car bomb has exploded in the centre of Syria's capital Damascus, killing at least 15 people and wounding 47, state media reports. A car bomb has exploded in the centre of Syria's capital Damascus, killing at least 15 people and wounding 53, state media report.
The blast happened in a busy residential and commercial area, close to a school and Syria's central bank. The blast happened in a busy residential and commercial area, close to schools and Syria's central bank.
Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen rising over the area as the emergency services raced to the scene. Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen rising over the area as emergency services raced to the scene.
At least 70,000 people have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began just over two years ago.At least 70,000 people have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began just over two years ago.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that an inspection team is in Cyprus waiting for permission to enter Syria and investigate reports of chemical weapon attacks during the conflict. Meanwhile UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that an inspection team was in Cyprus waiting for permission to enter Syria to investigate reports of chemical weapon attacks during the conflict.
Speaking in The Hague, he said such reports "should be examined without delay, without conditions and without exceptions" but explained that the UN is still in "technical and legal" negotiations with Mr Assad's government over the team's deployment. Speaking in The Hague, he said such reports "should be examined without delay, without conditions and without exceptions" but explained that the UN was still in "technical and legal" negotiations with Mr Assad's government over the team's deployment.
The car bomb exploded between Sabaa Bahrat Square and Shahbander street, causing extensive damage. 'Ground shook'
State television reported that 15 people had been killed and 47 had been wounded, but it is feared the toll could rise. Syrian state media said a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle packed with explosives between Sabaa Bahrat Square and Shahbander street, a busy area of Damascus that is home to the country's central bank, the finance ministry, a state-run investment agency, mosques and schools.
It is thought that children could be among the casualties. Television footage showed extensive damage, including the burnt-out remains of dozens of cars. Two nearby buildings were engulfed in flames.
Television footage showed bodies lying in the street and people being carried to ambulances on stretchers. As the dense smoke cleared from the area, bodies could be seen lying in the street amid the debris.
An AFP correspondent at the scene said several cars in the area were set alight by the blast which blew out windows from surrounding buildings. "I was in the street with my colleague when the ground shook beneath our feet," 32-year-old Anana told the AFP news agency.
Security forces and the army moved in quickly to prevent people from approaching the scene. "People started to scream 'explosion, explosion' and we saw a cloud of thick, black smoke emerge from the scene of the attack."
Sirens rang out across the city as ambulances and fire engines rushed to the scene.
The wounded were shown being stretchered to ambulances.
Security forces and the army moved in quickly to prevent people from approaching.
This is the second large car bomb attack in Damascus in recent months. At least 53 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in an attack on the ruling Baath party headquarters on 22 February.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a mosque in Damascus's Mazraa district last month, killing 42 people including Sheikh Mohammed al-Buti, a prominent Sunni supporter of President Assad.