An explosion in the Syrian capital, Damascus, has killed a passer-by and shattered windows in nearby buildings.

The cause of the blast late on Tuesday in the Kafar Soussa residential neighbourhood was not immediately known.

Witnesses reported security forces quickly sealing off the area and removing a car destroyed in the explosion, which had its driver's seat and the rear seat blown away by the force of the blast.

The identity of the person killed in the explosion was not immediately known.

There are no government buildings located in the area, although an Iranian school is located a few hundred metres from the scene of the blast.

The school, which was unoccupied, was unaffected by the explosion.

Damascus has seen a number of attacks in recent years, including one on the US Embassy in 2006 that left three gunmen and a Syrian guard dead.