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1st LD: 6 killed, over 20 injured in blast targeting bus in Damascus

Xinhua, February 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

An explosive device ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese passengers at a gate of the old city of Damascus on Sunday afternoon, killing at least six people and injuring over 20 others, the pro-government Sham FM radio and witnesses said.

The explosive device tore through the bus near the gate of the ancient al-Hamidiyah Marketplace in the old city of the capital Damascus, the Sham FM radio and witnesses told Xinhua.

The explosive device is believed to be a large size due to the rattling sound it caused, witnesses said.

Meanwhile, the Sham FM report said the blast targeted a bus carrying Lebanese passengers, adding that the death toll is preliminary and the number of death toll could be higher since the bus has 50 seats.

For its part, the state news agency SANA said four people died.

The report spelled no further details, but the targeted Lebanese are believed to be Shiite people coming to the old part of the capital as part of their religious ritual. Endit