Syria conflict: Seven dead in Damascus bombing Published duration 12 January 2017 Related Topics Syrian civil war

image copyright AFP image caption The security forces moved into the Kafr Sousa in large numbers after the blast

A suspected suicide bomber has killed at least seven people in a high security area of the Syrian capital, Damascus, state TV has said.

Police said the attack happened in the Kafr Sousa neighbourhood where some of the country's key security installations are located.

Footage showed destroyed cars and the security forces deploying in force in the aftermath of the bombing.

It is feared the number of dead is likely to rise.

Several people are critically wounded, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

The Kafr Sousa area lies south of Damascus and is home to several senior ministers and top officials, but sources told the AFP news agency that the blast took place away from where they live.

Damascus is mostly under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but rebel groups are present in outlying districts of the city.

A ceasefire between government forces and rebel groups, which was brokered by Turkey and Russia, came into effect at the end of last year.