'Suicide bomb kills, wounds dozens in Damascus'

Several people killed in a "terrorist explosion" in central Maidan district of Damascus, according to television reports.

By REUTERS
Syrian protest against Assad near Homs_311 (photo credit: Reuters)
Syrian protest against Assad near Homs_311
(photo credit: Reuters)
BEIRUT - A suicide bomber who blew himself up at a traffic light in Syria's capital Damascus killed and wounded dozens of people, most of them civilians, state television said on Friday.
Footage broadcast by Syria Television also showed the shattered blood splattered windows of what appeared to be a police bus.
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"There is more security in Maidan than usual because it is Friday and there are lots of military and security checkpoints. We do not know what was targeted yet," said the resident, a private sector employee who declined to be named.
Another resident said: "I didn't hear anything, but a lot of streets are closed and everyone is really nervous."
Some opposition activists said the blast had targeted a police station, others said it was an intelligence building.
At least 44 people were killed last month by what the Syrian authorities said were two suicide bombings against security buildings in the Syrian capital.
Syria has been racked for 10 months by an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in which the United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed. The government says armed "terrorists" have killed 2,000 members of the security forces.