A SUICIDE attacker detonated explosives in central Damascus, killing and wounding dozens of people, Syrian state television reported.

The television footage, as well as an official, suggested that the target of yesterday's attack was a police bus.

A police car damaged in the explosion in Damascus. Credit:SANA/AP

Syrian television said the explosion went off at an intersection in the central Damascus neighbourhood of Midan while scores of people were in the area. It said most of the casualties were civilians.

The blast comes two weeks after two blasts in Damascus targeting security buildings killed 44 people.