2023-07-28 03:01:06
Damascus: A bomb attack near a Shia Muslim place of worship in the capital of Syria. The Home Ministry said six people were killed and more than 20 injured. The ministry said the attack occurred when a motorcycle exploded near the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum, Syria’s most visited Shiite pilgrimage site. Officials say that it was a bomb attack by terrorists.
The deadly blast occurred south of Damascus ahead of the commemoration of Shia Muslim founder Imam Hussein. State television reports said the explosion was caused by a bomb planted in a taxi by unknown persons. Ibrahim, a 39-year-old Syrian national, told AFP the blast occurred near a security building 600 meters from the mausoleum of Sayyida Zainab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the daughter of Imam Ali, the founder of Shiite Islam.
Authorities had tightened security around the mausoleum to mark the 10-day Ashura commemoration, the most important in Shia Islam. In 2011, the Syeda Zainab Maqbara was damaged in bomb blasts during the country’s civil war. Security was tightened following that. The mosque complex was guarded by Iranian, Lebanese and Iraqi forces. Some security measures have been relaxed following a decline in attacks in recent years.
In February 2016, 134 people were killed in a twin suicide attack 400 meters from the mausoleum, the Islamic State militant group said. The group said at least 70 people were killed in triple blasts near the wildlife sanctuary a few weeks ago.
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