DAMASCUS - Four security officers were killed and seven other injured in a blast that rattled the Syrian capital of Damascus early Tuesday, local media reported.

The explosion, which rocked the al-Mazzeh neighborhood, was caused by a booby-trapped car that tore through a checkpoint near the local police station, according to the report.

Four security personnel were killed in the blast, while seven others were rushed to hospital, it said, adding that the blast also caused property damages.

Such blasts have become increasingly common in Syria, as violence is on the rise across the unrest-ravaged country.