An explosion in Damascus killed a number of policemen and civilians in what turned out to be a twin suicide bomb attack in the Syrian capital. Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar said one assailant blew himself up at the main entrance to a police station in the central Midan district. A second detonated his explosive belt after being shot by officers on the first floor of the building. There was no immediate claim for the bombing, which was the first such attack in the city since July.
Meanwhile in Iraq, the US-led anti-ISIS coalition says one service member has been killed and a second injured in a roadside bombing. An improvised explosive device (IED) struck their vehicle on Saturday. The names and nationalities of the casualties are being held until their families have been notified. ISIS militants also set fire to three oil wells near Hawija to slow the advance of US-backed Iraqi forces according to military officials.
Lastly, Iraq will allow foreigners in the Kurdistan Region to transit through Baghdad despite not holding an Iraqi visa as Kurdistan’s airspace remains closed to international travel. Any person can leave the country via Baghdad without paying a fine or having an exit visa according to Interior Minister Qassem al-Araji. Since Friday evening only domestic flights have passed in and out of the Erbil and Sulaimani airports.
