Dozens of people have been killed and wounded in a suicide bomb attack in Damascus, Syrian state TV said today.

Reports suggested that the target of the attack was a police bus.

The explosion went off at an intersection in the central Damascus neighbourhood of Midan, while scores of people were in the area.

Most of the casualties were said to be civilians.

The explosion comes two weeks after two blasts in Damascus targeting security buildings killed 44 people.

TV footage showed angry men carrying the remains of a person and also showed a damaged bus that had blood on its seats as well as riot police helmets.

"This is a criminal terrorist act," a man shouted.