**Mourners Bury Victims of Damascus Cafe Bombing, Including Six Lawyers**
*Damascus, Syria – July 3, 2026* – A somber atmosphere enveloped the capital city of Damascus as residents gathered to mourn the victims of a devastating bomb blast that occurred at a cafe near the Palace of Justice. The explosion, which took place on Thursday, claimed the lives of ten individuals, including six lawyers, and left 22 others injured.
The attack targeted the Al-Mushairiya Cafe, located on al-Nasr Street in the al-Hijaz district, a popular venue frequented by legal professionals and court visitors. The cafe is situated approximately 70 meters from the Palace of Justice, where numerous high-profile legal cases have been adjudicated.
On Friday, a funeral procession was held in the bustling Midan neighborhood, where mourners carried the coffins of three of the deceased to their final resting place. Among the victims were prominent members of the legal community, identified by local media as Muhannad Khalaf, Zuhair Askar, Hossam al-Safadi, Mahmoud al-Shamali, Muhammad Ali al-Shihab, and Eid Muhammad Awad. The Syrian Bar Association expressed its sorrow in a statement, mourning the loss of “a constellation of its fellow lawyers who were martyred” while fulfilling their duties within the justice system.
Eid Muhammad Awad, one of the victims, was a father of six daughters and was reportedly at the cafe reviewing legal documents when the explosion occurred. His tragic death has resonated deeply within the community, as he was the sole provider for his family. Disturbing images from the aftermath of the attack circulated on social media, depicting Awad lying face down in blood, surrounded by the documents he had been examining.
Another victim, Mahmoud Ali al-Shihab, 50, hailed from al-Qusayr in the southern Homs countryside and was a father of four daughters. Muhammad Saeed al-Shamali, another lawyer killed in the blast, was a father of two sons, one of whom also practices law.
The Syrian authorities described the explosive device used in the attack as “primitive,” with Damascus Governor Maher Marwan promising that those responsible would face justice. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the bomb was planted inside the cafe and subsequently detonated, countering social media speculation regarding a suicide bomber. However, as of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and updates on the investigation remain scarce.
The bombing has drawn widespread condemnation from various regional governments, including Turkiye, Iraq, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan, all of which expressed solidarity with Syria and a firm rejection of terrorism. The European Union also issued a statement condemning the act, labeling it a “terrorist attack” and extending condolences to the victims' families.
The incident marks one of the most significant security breaches in Damascus since the new government assumed power following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. In recent months, the city has experienced a series of security incidents, including a car bomb explosion outside the Ministry of Defence in May, which resulted in one soldier's death and injured at least 18 others.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy, residents like Bahaa Qabbani, who lost his brother Fathi in the blast, have called for stronger security measures. Qabbani described the perpetrators as “a group of terrorists who are against the homeland,” urging security forces to take decisive action to restore safety and order.
The bombing has not only claimed lives but has also instilled fear and uncertainty in a city that has been striving for stability in the aftermath of years of conflict. The loss of six lawyers, who played critical roles in the justice system, has left a significant void in the legal community and raised concerns about the ongoing security situation in Syria's capital.