A suicide car bombing in Damascus on Monday killed 19 people and injured many others, among them many in serious condition, Syria's state media and activists reported.The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement that the casualty toll reached 19 dead, including 15 civilians and at least four government troops, while 60 civilians were injured, DPA reported. Syria's state-television put the death toll at 15 dead and 146 wounded, including women and children, in an updated casualty report of the suicide bombing that targeted the area close to Syria's Central Bank between the Sabaa Bahrat square and Shahbander Street.
Television footage showed bodies on the street and medical workers carrying the injured on stretchers to ambulances. Many buildings were damaged and cars were burnt in the explosion near the central bank building.
The state broadcaster denied reports that there were clashes in the area and said roads were closed to pave the way for ambulances.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, the first since a blast killed 53 people in February.
Syria's Prime Minister Wael al Halqi who toured the blast scene pledged that the Syrian government is standing by its people and accused "the terrorist group Al Nosra Front" of being behind today's bombing.