Car Bomb Kills at Least 20 in Tahrir Square, Syria

According to Syrian state officials, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb from a car in Tahrir Square in central Damascus on Sunday. Twenty individuals are believed to have been killed and dozens more injured by the blast.

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The bomber was reportedly one of three, who was pursued by the authorities.

A video shown by the state media agency showed the Tahrir Square littered with debris and damaged vehicles as well as what appeared to be the remains of a person.

The reported stated that the other two car bombs were destroyed before any explosives could be detonated. 

Damascus chief of police Mohamad Kheir Ismail confirmed to al-Ikhbariya TV station that both vehicles had been spotted on a highway and pursued. 

News agency AFP quoted a resident, who recounted seeing Red Crescent volunteers treating wounded soldiers, as well as two burned-out cars and a damaged security checkpoint.

State TV reported that the number of casualties was significantly minimized because security forces had prevented "the terrorists from reaching their targets." 

The bombers were seemingly targeting heavily populated areas, occupied by people who were returning to work following the Ramadan-ending Eid al-Fitr holiday.

While the fighting has been reported as less intense than in flashpoints like Aleppo and Homs, there has been ongoing sporadic attacks on government targets by Islamist terrorists.

The conflict continues in the east of city between rebels and security forces, with Syrian Government forces battling insurgents in the Jobar and Ain Tarma areas.