'Huge explosion' in Syria capital causes fatalities: monitor
Damascus, Jan 20 : A "huge explosion" near a military intelligence office in Damascus Sunday left a number of dead and wounded, a war monitor said, after state TV reported early indications suggested a "terrorist act".
"The explosion took place near a security branch in the south of the city. There are some people killed and injured but we could not verify the toll immediately," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP.
It was unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb that was planted or a suicide attack, according to the monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside the country.
It said that shooting followed the explosion. Syrian state television earlier reported that a blast had been heard around the southern highway in Damascus.
"First reports suggest a terrorist act," the broadcaster said. The state outlet did not provide any more details on the incident.
Syria is locked in a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 spiralled into full conflict.
Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that Sunday's blast appeared to be the first attack in Damascus in over a year.
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Indian Army transports heavy armour to Kashmir Valley via Military Special Train
Srinagar: The Indian Army on Wednesday transported tanks and artillery systems into the Kashmir Valley via Military Special Train, enhancing its operational readiness and marking a key advancement in defence logistics throughout the northern borders.
The exercise involved the train-based transfer of heavy military armour, which included the tanks, the artillery guns, and the dozers, from the Jammu region to Anantnag. In the statement shared on social media platform X, the Army writes:
"Enhancing Capabilities Along the Borders
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The #IndianArmy achieved a major logistics milestone on 16 December 2025 with the induction of tanks and artillery guns into the Kashmir Valley by a Military Special Train. As part of the validation exercise, tanks, artillery guns and dozers were successfully moved from the Jammu Region to #Anantnag, #Kashmir demonstrating enhanced mobility and logistical capability.
This milestone was achieved in close coordination with
@RailMinIndia, underscoring the transformative impact of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project in enabling rapid logistics build-up and strengthening operational readiness along the Northern Borders."
Emphasising the strategic importance of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link, the Army noted that the corridor has redefined logistical capabilities by enabling faster, more reliable movement of troops and equipment into the Valley, thereby reinforcing operational readiness in the region.
Enhancing Capabilities Along the Borders
— PRO Defence Jammu (@prodefencejammu) December 17, 2025
The #IndianArmy achieved a major logistics milestone on 16 December 2025 with the induction of tanks and artillery guns into the Kashmir Valley by a Military Special Train. As part of the validation exercise, tanks, artillery guns and… pic.twitter.com/c83wGTMsa0
