At least two killed in minibus bombing near Damascus in Jaramana

At least two people were killed and 13 others wounded when a bomb planted inside a minibus exploded in Jaramana, a suburb of Damascus, on Thursday. The blast tore off the vehicle's roof and scattered debris across the road, according to images from the scene. The town lies near the Syrian capital and is home to Druze and Christian communities.

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State media, citing the health ministry, said the explosion was caused by a bomb placed inside the vehicle. It said human remains were being identified and processed by forensic medical teams. Ambulances were seen heading to the scene, and a main road in the area was closed to traffic after the blast.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident adds to a series of security problems in and around Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syria's new Islamist authorities have said they are seeking to restore control and improve security, but the capital and its suburbs have continued to see attacks and incidents targeting civilians and security forces.

The bombing is significant because Jaramana has already been affected by sectarian violence in the spring of 2025. That history gives the latest attack added sensitivity in a town with mixed communities close to the centre of political power. It also comes as President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to protect minorities in a country marked by religious and ethnic diversity.

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The wider security picture in the Damascus area has remained unstable in recent months. Earlier attacks included two homemade bombs that killed one person and wounded 36 others during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Damascus last month, according to officials. A few days before that, a bombing at a cafe in the capital killed 10 people and wounded around 20, underscoring the continuing threat to civilians.

What remains unclear is who planted the bomb and whether the attack was aimed at a specific target or intended to cause broader casualties. Authorities have not yet announced any arrests or identified a motive. The next developments to watch are the forensic identification process, any claim of responsibility, and whether security measures are tightened further in Damascus and its suburbs.

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