At least 10 people have been killed in a bomb attack in the Syrian city of Latakia, a key stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad, state media report, according to BBC News.

Twenty-five others were injured when a van filled with explosives blew up in front of a school on the outskirts of the city, the Sana news agency said. State television aired footage of charred cars with blown-out windows.

Latakia has largely escaped the conflict that has devastated most of Syria and left 250,000 people dead.

But a rebel alliance that includes al-Qaeda's local affiliate, al-Nusra Front, has been advancing on the city and within its surrounding province after driving government forces out of much of neighbouring Idlib province earlier this year.