A suicide car bomb tore through a bus station early Thursday in a suburban area of the Syrian capital Damascus, leaving 14 people injured and a nearby security complex damaged, witnesses and the state-run SANA news agency said.

A suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden van tried to storm the Saida Zainab bus garage near Damascus at about 5:50 a.m. local time (0250 GMT), prompting guards at the bus station to open fire to stop him, witnesses told Xinhua.

The bomber managed to reach the bottom of the garage and detonate the bomb, witnesses said.

A security complex overlooking the garage was damaged, along with a nearby hospital and a Shiite shrine.

The blast left a deep crater at the scene, as well as twisted debris and a dozen of burned cars. Windows of some nearby buildings and shops were also shattered.

A local resident told Xinhua that he, along with his family, was awaken by a "loud sound" that rattled his house's windows and doors. "My kids are still crying in fear," he said.

A team of UN observers headed to the scene and examined the blast site.

Meanwhile, another car bomb ripped through a military checkpoint in the northwestern province of Idlib, injuring six army men, including an officer.

Thursday's bombings are the latest in a series of explosions that have rocked the unrest-torn country during the 16-month-old unrest.

The Syrian government blames "foreign-backed terrorists" of being behind the daily violence.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet