Explosive device goes off in Syrian capital

An explosive device went off Monday evening in the Rukin Addien district of the Syrian capital Damascus, witnesses said, Xinhua reported.

The explosion took place in Burnieh Street in Rukin Addien, witnesses told Xinhua, giving no further details.

Meanwhile, the pro-government Sham FM radio said the blast occurred near the headquarters of a radio station in the area, adding that it has caused material damage only.

Rukin Addien area witnessed last week a wide-scale house-to- house raids by the government troops, who were searching for wanted men and hidden weaponries.

Blasts across Syria have become increasingly common, especially in Damascus and northern Aleppo city.

On Sunday, two blasts rocked Damascus and Aleppo, leaving a number of people dead or injured.

The first blast struck a police station in Bab Tuma district in Damascus, killing 13 people and injuring other 29, the state media said.

The second blast struck Aleppo when a suicide car bomb went off before a French hospital in the Zuhour Street, causing injuries and material damage, the state media said.

The recent blasts coincided with UN-Arab League representative Lakhdar Brahimi's visit to Syria, where he is calling for a cease- fire during the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice.

At a press conference held Sunday in Damascus after his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Brahimi appealed to all conflicting parties that they observe the cease-fire in a bid to build a permanent pacification.