Multiple explosions have rocked an area near the presidential palace in the Syrian capital of Damascus, with no immediate reports of casualties or damages. The blasts on Wednesday were reportedly caused by mortar shells fired at the al-Mazzeh district, and were reportedly followed by sporadic gunfire. On Monday, foreign-backed insurgents detonated several explosive devices in the same district, killing 11 people and injuring several others. Fifteen civilians were also killed in blasts at the al-Worod neighborhood in the western Damascus suburb of Qudsaya on Tuesday. Scores of others were injured. The Syrian state television reported on the same day that the brother of Syria’s parliament speaker was assassinated by armed men in the capital. Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security forces, have been killed in the violence.