Syrian soldier killed, 18 wounded in Damascus car bomb explosion outside a defence ministry building

A Syrian soldier was killed and at least 18 people were injured on Tuesday (May 19) when a car bomb detonated outside a defence ministry building in Damascus. According to a statement carried by state media, an army unit had just discovered a separate explosive device in the capital's central Bab Sharqi district; the car bomb exploded nearby while troops were attempting to dismantle the first weapon. Security forces swiftly cordoned off the area near the Old City, where an AFP correspondent reported seeing a vehicle engulfed in flames. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Eighteen wounded individuals were transported to hospitals following the explosion, according to Najib al-Nassan, head of Syria's ambulance and emergency directorate, who spoke to state-owned agency SANA. Medical teams remained engaged in treating and monitoring their conditions. A security source cited by Al Ekhbariya TV stated that the blast occurred near an armament management center in Damascus. A civil defense source told AFP that one person died in the incident, a casualty later confirmed by the Defense Ministry, which added that the explosion also injured several personnel involved in bomb disposal operations.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident, though past attacks of this nature have been attributed to the Islamic State (IS).

The group has claimed responsibility for similar actions since anti-regime forces marched into Damascus in December 2024, removing the Assad family from power after five decades of rule. The ongoing security challenges facing the capital since the collapse of the Assad government were previously highlighted last June, when a church bombing in Damascus killed 25 people.

Tuesday's explosion stands as one of the most severe attacks on a Syrian military facility in recent months, intensifying concerns regarding the new authorities' capacity to secure the nation.