DAMASCUS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- A powerful explosion rocked the southern Raml neighborhood in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia on Saturday, state-run news agency SANA reported.

The cause of the blast remained unknown, and there were no immediate official reports on casualties or damage.

Sources reached in Latakia told Xinhua that a building in Raml collapsed.

Emergency teams were dispatched to the scene, according to local authorities.

Syria's coastal region, including Latakia, has been through widespread violence since March 6 that has resulted in the death of at least 1,500 people.

According to Syria's Defense Ministry and the UN Human Rights Office, the violence was triggered by coordinated attacks by armed groups loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad on security forces in the Latakia province, and quickly escalated into broader sectarian clashes, predominantly targeting Alawite-majority towns and villages. Enditem

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