Islamic State claims Damascus car bomb as Assad invited to Saudi

The Syrian President's formal invite to the upcoming Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia marks a shift in Riyadh's relations with Damascus.
The dome of a mosque is seen amongst the rooftops of home and apartment blocks in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on June 26, 2013.
The dome of a mosque is seen amongst the rooftops of home and apartment blocks in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on June 26, 2013. - LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images
Adam Lucente headshot (new)
Adam Lucente
@Adam_Lucente

The Islamic State (ISIS) group claimed responsibility for a car bombing on a police station in Syria’s capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing one and injuring several others. The explosion came as Arab countries sped up normalization efforts with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who received on Wednesday a formal invitation to attend the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19. 

One officer was killed while four other police were injured when a car exploded at the Barzeh Police Station in the city. The officer was later identified as Muhannad Fendi Jadallah, who worked in the police’s salaries division, the official SANA news outlet reported.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more