Report: Blast kills, wounds dozens in Syrian capital Syrian TV via Reuters Syrian TV pictures show the aftermath of a bomb explosion in Damascus on Friday. A suicide bomber killed and wounded dozens of people in central Damascus, Syrian state TV said Friday. Footage broadcast by Syria Television showed the shattered windows of what appeared to be a police bus. State TV said the explosion went off at an intersection in the neighborhood of Midan, while scores of people were in the area. It said most of the casualties were civilians. Syria has banned most foreign journalists from the country and prevented independent reporting. The explosion comes two weeks after two blasts in Damascus targeting security buildings killed 44 people. A Syrian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to talk publicly to the media, said the target of the attack appeared to be a bus carrying police officer. Syrian state television said the attack at an intersection in the center of the capital killed mostly civilians. "This is a criminal terrorist act," a man shouted in footage aired on Syria TV. For months, President Bashar Assad has used tanks and troops to try to crush street protests inspired by other Arab uprisings. According to the U.N., more than 5,000 people have been killed during the uprising against the Assad regime.