大马士革某军事基地附近发生大爆炸
A large explosion has struck close to a military compound in the Syrian capital, Damascus, near a hotel used by the UN's observer mission.
叙利亚首都大马士革一座军事基地附近发生大爆炸，此处也靠近联合国观察员下榻的酒店。
Smoke could be seen rising over central Damascus
Syrian state TV reported that three people had been injured in the blast, but that none of them were UN monitors.
Eyewitnesses in Damascus saw a huge plume of smoke coming from the area in the city centre and several ambulances were seen rushing towards site.
The violence in Syria has spread to the capital in recent weeks.
Last month a bomb at the national security headquarters killed three of President Bashar al-Assad's security chiefs.
State television said Wednesday's blast had been caused by a bomb near a fuel truck, but other reports suggested it had been a roadside bomb.
A BBC correspondent in Damascus says the area around the hotel, the Dama Rose, is a sealed-off, high-security zone.
There were reports from activists of other blasts around the city but these could not be immediately verified.
The latest violence comes as a group of Islamic countries prepares to meet in the Saudi city of Mecca to discuss the crisis.
The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Co-operation is expected to suspend Syria's membership, despite objections from Iran, Syria's last regional ally.