Car bomb in Damascus kills soldier

A car bomb in Damascus killed a soldier on Tuesday, a Syrian civil defense source told AFP, with a security source saying an explosive was likely planted in a vehicle near a building affiliated with the defense ministry.

The civil defense source said at least one person was killed, while the security source told AFP an initial investigation had found the blast was likely caused "by an explosive device planted in a car".

An AFP correspondent in the area heard an explosion before seeing a car burning near a building affiliated with Syria's defense ministry, adding that security forces had cordoned off the area.