Bomb near mosque in Syrian capital kills 1, wounds 6

BEIRUT – Syrian state media is reporting that a bomb has exploded near a mosque in the capital Damascus killing one person and wounding six others.

State news agency SANA said Friday's blast occurred in the northeastern neighborhood of Barzeh close to al-Khansaa mosque.

Such explosions have been rare in Damascus recently.

Barzeh is close to the eastern Damascus suburb of Harasta that opposition fighters evacuated last month following weeks of a crushing government offensive on eastern Ghouta.

Evacuations from the rebel-held town of Douma near Damascus were suspended for the second day Friday, days after hundreds of opposition fighters and their relatives left for areas of the country's north as part of a surrender deal following the eastern Ghouta offensive.