DAMASCUS, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and 31 others injured in an explosion in the suburb of Jaramana in Syria' s capital Damascus on Monday, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.
Meanwhile, the pro-government radio Sham FM said at least two people were killed in the blast, while the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), an activists' group, put the death toll at four, including a woman and a little girl.
The blast also left grave material damages.
Earlier, the state media said an explosive device affixed under a car exploded at al-Wideh street in Jaramana.
Jaramana, a religiously mixed area, has been plagued by a series of explosions recently, which have killed at least 27 people.
Monday's blast came one day after two explosive devices went off Sunday some 200 meters away from the Syrian military's Joint chiefs of staff's office in Damascus, in which four army personnel were killed.
The blast, although small in scope, is considered a heavy blow to the Syrian leadership as it went off in a very sensitive and heavily fortified area ringed with security checkpoints and blast walls.
The armed rebels seem to have opted to carry out such blasts as the direct showdown with the military forces.
The rebels recently warned that they would start targeting the civil airports in Damascus and Aleppo province under the pretext that "the Syrian troops are using those airports for military purposes."
Commenting on the threats, Syrian Information Minister Omran al- Zoubi said "their aim is to inject fear and terror among the citizens."
Meanwhile, two key activists' groups said that around 5,000 people had been killed in August across Syria, making it one of the bloodiest months in Syria's 18-month-old crisis.
In suburbs of Damascus, activists said the government forces had unleashed sweeping arrests in the Rukn al-Deen neighborhood, and that the al-Tadamon, al-A'saly, and al-Hajar al-Aswad neighborhoods were under bombardment by government forces.
All of the hotspots across Syria are strongholds of the rebel fighters. The clashes and bombardment have intensified after the bold attacks by the western-backed rebels.
Al-Zoubi said Monday that the Syrian army is committed to restoring peace and stability to all the areas in Syria and this is "non-negotiable."
The minister also called on the opposition forces to make a national assessment and embrace a national dialogue.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Monday that Syria's sovereignty is a "red line," and that the situation in Syria in general is good and under control.
At a press conference here on Monday, al-Zoubi said that his country will make a response to any assault, and will "cut the hand of whomsoever" touches the sovereignty of Syria, stressing that "he will pay a steep price." Full story
DAMASCUS, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Bombings and urban clashes continued across Syria Sunday, showing no sign of abatement and further blurring the prospect of a foreseeable solution in the conflict-torn Arab state.
Two explosive devices went off Sunday some 200 meters away from the office of the Syrian military's joint chiefs of staff in the capital Damascus, injuring four army personnel, sources and media reports said. Full story
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