DAMASCUS — An explosive device detonated on July 2, 2026, at a cafe located near Damascus's main judicial complex in Syria. The explosion killed nine people and wounded 20 others.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Syrian officials stated their intention to arrest those responsible. A funeral procession for three of the victims took place on July 3, 2026, in the Midan neighborhood of Damascus.

Fathi Qabbani, a married father of one son, was among those killed in the blast. He worked at a shop close to the explosion site. Bahaa Qabbani said his brother was passing by the cafe when the explosion occurred. Bahaa Qabbani described the attackers as a "group of terrorists who are against the homeland." He urged the country's security forces to "take hold of the country with an iron fist."

Separately, on July 3, 2026, three members of security forces were wounded in an attack on a checkpoint at the entrance to the Damascus suburb of Jaramana. Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported that a man on a motorcycle threw two hand grenades at checkpoint guards. The attacker attempted to throw a third grenade, but it detonated in his hand, killing him. SANA also reported that authorities arrested another individual in connection with the Jaramana checkpoint attack.

Why It Matters

The cafe bombing resulted in multiple casualties and injuries near a key judicial location. The subsequent checkpoint attack in Jaramana indicates ongoing security challenges in the region. These events occur after Syria's new rulers took power in December 2024, following the overthrow of the Assad dynasty. Such incidents align with preceding attacks, including a suicide attack that targeted a church in a Damascus suburb and a bomb detonation in a mosque in a predominantly Alawite area in Homs.