Booby-trapped car explodes in Syria's capital, casualties feared

An explosive-packed car went off on Saturday afternoon in a government-controlled area west of the capital Damascus, leaving undisclosed number of casualties, the state-run SANA news agency reported. The booby-trapped car went off in the western Somariyeh area at the entrance of the town of Muadamiyeh in southern Syria, SANA said, spelling no further details. The pro-government Sama TV said that the Syrian authorities suspected the car before it went off, adding that the car was remotely detonated when some of the troops were approaching it. Somariyeh is known as a pro-government area which has already been hit by several explosions and mortar attacks. The town of Muadamiyeh has also been battered by clashes between government troops and the armed rebels.