Four killed in Damascus car bombing

At least four people were killed Tuesday when a suicide car bombing ripped through a pro-government district southwest of the Syrian capital Damascus, Xinhua quoted the official SANA news agency as saying.

The explosive-rigged car exploded near a school complex in al-Arin neighbourhood, which is mostly populated by soldiers and security men, leading to heavy property loss and damage, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

SANA said the suicide bomber drove a Skoda car rigged with 100 kgs of explosives into the neighbourhood, but gave no further details.

In a separate incident, six people were wounded Tuesday in a renewed mortar shelling against the predominantly Christian district of Bab Touma in Damascus, the latest in an endless series of mortar shelling by rebels in suburbs outlying the capital Damascus.

The fresh wave of violence erupted amid currently ongoing presidential campaigns of Syria's three candidates including incumbent President Bashar al-Assad.

The three-year crisis started in mid-March 2011 when anti- government protesters took to the street calling for reforms, but rapidly evolved into a civil war which witnessed the formation of anti-government militias joined by radical jihadist movements.

Reports estimated that more than 150,000 people have been killed so far.