Two mortar shells slammed into central Damascus on Tuesday, hitting a technical institute in a barrage that killed 12 people and wounded 50, state media reported.
"Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighbourhood in Damascus with four mortar shells," the SANA news agency said, adding that the shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute.
The attack in the mainly Shiite district of Shaghour came a day after President Bashar Assad nominated himself to stand for re-election, in defiance of calls for him to step aside and allow a political solution to Syria's civil war.
Assad's forces have pushed back the mainly Sunni rebels from many of their strongholds around the capital, but residents say they have stepped up rocket and mortar attacks against the heart of the city in recent weeks.
