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Syria crisis: Blast shakes Damascus suburb Syria crisis: Damascus blast 'kills 16 soldiers'
(35 minutes later)
A large explosion has shaken a suburb of Damascus with a majority Christian population, Syria's state-run news agency has reported. At least 16 Syrian soldiers have been killed in a suicide bombing and fighting that followed in a Damascus suburb, activists say.
Details are unclear but first reports say there are dead and injured. The blast triggered clashes at a checkpoint near the mainly-Christian area of Jaramana, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Sana news agency said the attack took place at the entrance to the pro-government suburb of Jaramana. State media blamed "terrorists" for the explosion but did not give details.
Earlier, the US urged the Syrian government to allow aid to reach starving civilians cut off in rebel-held suburbs of Damascus. Earlier, the US urged the Syrian government to allow aid to reach starving civilians in Damascus.
Washington said the army's months-long siege left many people in desperate need of food, water and medicine. Washington said the army's months-long siege left many people in rebel-held areas in desperate need of food, water and medicine.
Rebels have previously targeted Jaramana - a Christian and Druze area mostly loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, with bombings and mortar rounds. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria, said the suicide car bombing by the jihadist al-Nusra Front triggered heavy fighting at a key checkpoint between Jaramana and the rebel-held town of Mleha.
In August a car bomb in Jaramana killed 18 people. The report could not be confirmed.
Jaramana - a Christian and Druze area mostly loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, has previously been targeted by rebel groups.
In August a car bomb in the suburb killed 18 people.
Syria's embattled President Assad has drawn support from Syria's ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians and members of his Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam.Syria's embattled President Assad has drawn support from Syria's ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians and members of his Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam.
The rebel movement is dominated by Sunni Muslims, who are a majority in Syria.The rebel movement is dominated by Sunni Muslims, who are a majority in Syria.