An explosion near the airport in Syria's capital, Damascus, has been followed by a blackout in parts of the country, state media say.
Power was reportedly cut after rebel artillery hit a gas pipeline.
Residents say the entire capital has been plunged into darkness, while officials have described the power cuts as countrywide.
Many parts of Syria have been struck by major power cuts since the start of the country's civil war.
'A terrorist attack on a gas pipeline that feeds a power station in the south has led to a power outage in the provinces, and work to repair it is in progress,' Syria's state news agency SANA quoted Electricity Minister Imad Khamis as saying.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said opposition shelling was aimed at the town of Ghasula, around 2km (1.2 miles) from the airport.
'It is likely this was a large-scale operation planned well in advance,' Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
Activists say a huge fire was seen blazing near the airport. It is unclear whether anyone was hurt.
Meanwhile the SOHR says a car bomb has hit a military checkpoint in a western suburb of Damascus, causing multiple casualties among security forces.
President Bashar al-Assad calls his opponents foreign-backed 'terrorists' and has often insisted that they are linked to al-Qaeda.
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - Rating: 4.5
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