Explosion at military barrack outside Syrian capital kills one

DAMASCUS: An explosion at the entrance of military barracks on the western edge of the Syrian capital Wednesday set a bus on fire, killed its driver and sent black smoke billowing over the area, Syrian state media reported.

Initial reports on state media said the explosion in the gas tank of a bus at the entrance of the barracks near Qudsaya, west of Damascus, caused the fire.

It said three others were injured and were hospitalised.

State-owned Al-Ikhbariya TV called it a terrorist attack.

It provided no details.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in government and opposition areas, also said at least one was killed and three injured.

It said a bus was totally torched in the explosion.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, the Observatory said.

The Syrian government rarely reports on security-related matters, and it was not possible to reach the area.