DAMASCUS: A bomb blast at a cafe in Damascus on Thursday killed nine people and wounded 20, authorities said, in the latest challenge for Syria's leaders as they seek to stabilize the country after more than a decade of war.

The bombing—the deadliest since a suicide attack on a church last year—was not immediately claimed.

It took place near the capital's Palace of Justice, a key government building, sparking scenes of panic in the busy area.

An AFP correspondent saw ambulances weaving through traffic with their sirens blaring as they headed to the site, and security forces cordoned off the area of the blast.

"The explosion that occurred in a cafe near the Palace of Justice in Damascus resulted from an explosive device planted in the location," state television said.

Nour Khayyat, 40, who owns a shop selling batteries for solar panels near the site, told AFP that "at about 3:00 pm (12:00 GMT), I heard a powerful blast and the storefront shook."

"People rushed to the cafe and called ambulances," he added.

Mohammed al-Dahabi, the owner of a glasses shop next to the targeted cafe, was trembling as he described the explosion, telling AFP, "I felt strong pressure, and the whole place shook."

"I ran to the place and saw people lying on the floor with blood pooled around them everywhere," he added, saying the scenes recalled the bombings Damascus experienced during Syria's nearly 14-year civil war.

'Malicious parties'

Arriving at the scene, Damascus governor Maher Eldibi said an investigation had been launched.

"Those responsible for this bloodshed will be punished," he said.

"Each time the country sees a period of stability, malicious parties try to destabilise it."

The UN's deputy special envoy for Syria, Claudio Cordone, said on X that the perpetrators "should be brought to justice."

Turkey, which has close ties with Syria's authorities, also condemned the attack and vowed to "maintain its solidarity with Syria throughout this process", according to a foreign ministry statement.

Several Arab countries likewise condemned the attack, including Iraq, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt.

Since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December of 2024, Syria's new authorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa have sought to exercise full control, restore security, and reunify the country.

Damascus has been the site of multiple attacks and incidents since the new authorities took over.

The deadliest came in June 2025, when an attack on a Damascus church killed 25 people.

The suicide attack was later claimed by a Sunni Islamist group, while the authorities blamed it on the Islamic State group.

More recently, there have been other incidents, including the killing in May of a soldier in a car bombing in Damascus's Old City.

Damascus Blast

Bomb blast at Damascus cafe kills nine, authorities say