DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged the international community and the United Nations to condemn the explosion that rocked the capital Damascus early in the day, killing 14 people, state news agency SANA reported.

"Syria calls on the international community and the UN to condemn this explosion that targeted unarmed civilians, and it calls on the Security Council to take deterrent measures against the states supporting and financing terrorism," the ministry said.

Earlier in the day, 14 people were killed when explosive devices ripped through a military bus under the President's Bridge in the heart of Damascus.

The explosion came at a time when ultra-radical rebel groups have been suffering as a result of the Syrian military progress, particularly near Idlib, the last key bastion of the rebels located in northwestern Syria, said the ministry.