DAMASCUS, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two Katyusha rockets were fired from the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus toward residential areas in the city's Mazzeh district late Friday, injuring several civilians and causing material damage, Syria's defense authorities said.
In a statement carried by state news agency SANA, the authorities described the incident as a "treacherous attack" and said a joint investigation with the interior authorities has been launched to determine the circumstances of the strike. Teams are working to trace the rockets' trajectory and identify the launch site, it added.
The authorities vowed to pursue those responsible and "take firm measures against anyone who tampers with the security of the capital or targets the lives and stability of Syrians."
Residents reported hearing several loud explosions in the predominantly Alawite Mazzeh 86 neighborhood. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported three blasts in the area.
An earlier SANA report, citing Syria's Emergency and Ambulance Directorate, said a woman sustained moderate injuries in the attack and was transported to a Damascus hospital for treatment.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid heightened security alerts in Damascus following nationwide counterterrorism operations targeting Islamic State sleeper cells.
Since the fall of the previous government in December 2024, various parts of Syria have seen sectarian-motivated attacks and retaliatory violence, including those against members of the Alawite community, which formed much of the former ruling elite. ■
