A bomb planted in a minibus killed two people and wounded 14 others on the outskirts of Syria’s capital Damascus on Thursday night, officials said.
The blast occurred in the predominantly Druze area of Jaramana, outside Damascus. A security source told the state-run Ekhbariya TV that the blast was caused by an explosive device planted on the vehicle, citing preliminary information.
Footage from the scene showed the blown-up husk of a white minibus being dragged away from the site of the blast.
Jaramana resident Samer Abbas was metres away in his clothing store when the explosion went off. A piece of shrapnel hit the storefront.
“It was a strong unnatural sound,” he told Reuters in an interview.
His son, who had been sitting outside, was the first thing that came to Abbas’ mind. Fearing the worst, Abbas said he could not rest until he confirmed his son was safe.
“My blood dried up until I checked up on him, I saw him … until I heard his voice,” he said.
Over at the Mujtahid Hospital in Damascus, Bassel Imad said the bombing was “sadistic”. His cousin Safouh was driving the vehicle that exploded and lay injured.
The targeted street in Jaramana is somewhat narrow and includes shops and street vendors, Imad said, as people clamored around him.
“What happened was very wicked,” he added.
