A car bombing in the Syrian capital has left 9 people dead and at least 20 others injured on Tuesday, February 8.   The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that the car was detonated in a parking lot in front of the Damascus Police Officers’ Club, killing police officers in the blast.

The Islamist State has claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Shami as the suicide bomber. The Islamist State issued a statement on social media declaring that the attack was to avenge the suffering of fellow Sunni Muslims. This is the first time that the Islamist State has formally claimed responsibility for an attack in Damascus.  

Reports claim that the suicide bomber was dressed in a police uniform, a tactic commonly used by the Islamic State. A statement issued by the interior ministry said that the car attempted to crash into the heavily patrolled complex, but was stopped by security forces.

Suicide bombings have generally subsided in the Syrian capital in recent years. The last major attack in Damascus was on January 31, located at Syria’s holiest Shi’ite Muslim, which killed over 70 people.

To read more, visit:

http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/02/126596/nine-dead-damascus-car-bombinghttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-blast-idUSKCN0VI0U2 
http://truthinmedia.com/isis-kills-10-suicide-bombing-damascus-police/
http://www.kmtv.com/news/world/is-car-bomb-in-syrian-capital-kills-10