Two car bombs explode in central Damascus: SANA

DAMASCUS - Agence France-Presse

Two cars laden with explosives and driven by suicide bombers blew up in the centre of the Syrian capital Damascus on Oct. 13 night, state media reported.

"Two terrorist car bombs driven by suicide bombers detonated at the entrance of Ummayed Square," the official SANA news agency and state television reported, without specifying if there were any casualties.

The blasts went off near the building of the national broadcaster, with a state television reporter on the ground saying a concrete barrier outside it had been damaged but the facility was largely intact.

Footage of the scene broadcast by the government-run Al-Ikhbariya TV showed fires burning and smoke rising over the site as firefighters worked to put them out.

The reporter made no mention of any injuries in the blast, saying only that "there were some human remains at the scene, likely those of a suicide bomber."

The explosions occurred only a few kilometres from the hotel where a team of international experts from the Organisation from the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations are staying.

The state television and radio building has been targeted before, including in an August 6, 2012 blast that caused injuries and damage.

But Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi, speaking to state television, said there were no reported casualties in the double blast.

"There are no casualties in these attacks, all the employees are fine," he said.

"I'm not surprised... by this aggression because we are well aware that it reflects the inability of these armed terrorist groups to achieve their goals," he added.