DAMASCUS: Five people were killed and 32 wounded in a car bomb attack in southern Damascus on Friday, Syrian state television said, while a watchdog said children were among the wounded.

“Five people were killed and 32 wounded in a a terrorist bombing in the Daf Shawk district of Damascus city, in a clear violation of the ceasefire announced by the army,” Syrian TV announced.

A security source told AFP that the bombing had targeted residential buildings for police officers and their families and that children were playing in the area when the attack occured.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that five people were killed and more than 30 wounded, adding that children were among the casualties.

“The explosion of a booby-trapped car outside the Omar bin Khattab mosque in the area known as Shorta in the Daf Shawk district killed five and wounded over 30 people including children,” the Britain-based rights watchdog said.

The Observatory said ambulances flocked to the scene of the explosion, which also destroyed several houses in the area.

The attack comes as the regime and the main rebel group agreed to observe a ceasefire from Friday morning during the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

The ceasefire had been brokered by UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, but both sides had pledged to respond if attacked.

Jihadist group Al-Nosra Front, which has claimed it carried out deadly car bombings and other rebel attacks in recent months, has categorically rejected any truce.