Explosive-laden car goes off in Syrian capital, 6 killed

A car rigged with explosives went off in the Damascus suburb of Daf al-Shouk Wednesday, killing six people and injuring 20, the state TV said. The explosion left material damages also, the TV said, giving no further details. The blast site is adjacent to Damascus' battered district of Tadamun, which has emerged as a hotspot in Syria's 19-months-old crisis. Opposition activists posted an online amateur video purporting to show the blast site from a distance. They said the blast was caused by an explosive device that ripped through a checkpoint of Syrian forces in the Daf al-Shouk area, adding that the rebels "al- Ansari Battalion" claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. The blast is the third to hit Syria within 12 hours, casting a dim prospect of any pacification during the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice. UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has been pushing for a truce during the four-day holiday. The Syrian government said it will give its final word on the proposition on Thursday.