At least four people were killed by shells launched by rebels in Damascus, during the swearing in of Bashar al-Assad for a third seven-year term as Syria’s president, according to official news agency Sana.

“Four people were killed 22 were wounded by mortar shells launched by terrorists in the commercial district of Shaalan”, stated Sana, citing police sources.

Residents of Damascus heard the shells exploding as well as the ambulances and police sirens that rushed to the area.

For the same incident, the Commission General of the Syrian Revolution (CGRS), a network of dissidents in the region, announced that a man lost his life from the attack which also wounded many more.

The shells were launched a few minutes after the end of Mr. Assad’s inaugural speech.