Damascus, Aug 7 : At least 18 people, including three children, were killed and 56 suffered injuries when a powerful blast rattled a pro-government district of the Syrian capital city Tuesday evening, state TV reported.

The initial information indicated that the blast was staged by a booby-trapped car that ripped through an intersection between al-Khidr Street and al-Soyouf Square, Xinhua reported.

The blast came just an hour after a powerful explosion was heard in the capital’s main Palestinian camp, al-Yarmouk, which is witnessing intense battles between the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and pro-government armed Palestinian committees.—IANS.