A devastating bomb explosion near the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum in Damascus, Syria, resulted in the death of six people and left scores wounded on Thursday. The incident occurred just before the annual Ashura commemoration, a significant event for Shiites, during which they remember the death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, who perished in a seventh-century battle.
The interior ministry provided an updated death toll of six, revising an earlier count of five casualties. More than 20 people sustained injuries in the attack, described by the ministry as a “terrorist bombing” caused by a motorcycle explosion near a taxi.
Health Minister Hassan al-Ghobash paid a visit to the wounded in the hospital, as the authorities reacted swiftly to the tragic incident. A source at Al-Sadr Hospital reported earlier that the facility had received ten wounded individuals following the car bombing near the religious shrine.
According to state television, the explosion resulted from a “bomb placed in a taxi by unidentified people.” The incident sparked panic, with witnesses describing a massive blast and people running for safety. Security forces promptly cordoned off the affected area, which was situated approximately 600 meters from the mausoleum of Sayeda Zeinab, a prominent figure in Shiite Islam, the granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and the daughter of Imam Ali.
In light of the upcoming ten-day Ashura commemoration, which holds great importance for Shiites, security measures around the mausoleum had been heightened.
The incident followed a previous explosion in the same vicinity a few days earlier, causing injuries to two civilians, as reported by official media and a security official. The repeated attacks underscore the ongoing security challenges faced in Syria, particularly around sites of religious significance.