AMMAN, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A large bomb exploded in an area housing security and army compounds west of Umayyad Square in central Damascus on Thursday, opposition activists said.

Islamist groups Ahfad al-Rasoul and Ansar al-Islam said in a joint statement they planted bombs in a compound belonging to State Security in the area.

Ansar al-Islam claimed responsibility for a bomb attack last month on the army's Chief of Staff headquarters in Umayyad Square, which started a large fire in the building.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom)

((khaled.oweis@reuters.com)(+962 6 4623776))

Keywords: SYRIA CRISIS/EXPLOSION