From correspondents in Americas, 06:00 PM IST

Damascus, Dec 3 (AKI/IANS) An explosion hit a crowded bus Thursday in the Syrian capital and caused casualties, medical officials said.

The blast took place near a pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims. A group of Iranian pilgrims was travelling on the bus and unconfirmed reports said up to six people died in the blast, including the bus driver.

Medical sources were quoted as saying the casualties from the blast ran into dozens.

The explosion is believed to have been an attack and it took place near a petrol station and an Iranian hospital in southern Damascus, reports said.

The district is visited by many Iranians and Iraqi Shias, as it is the site of the al-Sayyida Zeinab shrine. It is also home to many Iraqi refugees.

In September last year, a car bomb on the outskirts of Damascus killed at least 17 people on a road leading to the al-Sayyida Zeinab shrine.

--AKI/IANS

sy/vt

(Staff Writer, © IANS)