Explosion hits Old Syrian City quarter

(AP) — Syria's pro-government Ikhbariya TV and an official say an explosion has hit the Old City quarter of Bab Touma in Damascus, killing at least one woman and wounding dozens of other civilians.

The explosion took place Sunday as President Bashar Assad opened talks with visiting U.N. peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to broker a truce to start during a Muslim holiday this week.

The Syrian official says the explosion targeted a police station in the neighborhood, which is a popular attraction for shoppers and inhabited mostly by the Christian minority.

The London-based Observatory for Human Rights describes the blast as "strong" and says ambulances and police cars were rushing to the area.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to make press statements.