Syrian Intelligence Foils Islamic State Plot to Bomb Key Shiite Shrine

Authorities arrested suspects planning an attack on the Sayyida Zeinab shrine in Damascus, a site previously targeted by ISIL.

Syrian intelligence thwarted an Islamic State plot to bomb the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, a significant religious site for Shia Muslims in Damascus.
Four suspects, including two Lebanese nationals and a Palestinian refugee, were arrested, and explosives, weapons, and other equipment were seized.
The Sayyida Zeinab shrine has been a frequent target of attacks by ISIL, including deadly bombings in 2008, 2016, and as recently as July 2023.
The new Syrian leadership under Ahmad al-Sharaa, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, has pledged to protect religious minorities and combat extremist threats.
The thwarted attack comes as Syria's interim government seeks to reassure its diverse population and stabilize relations with neighboring Lebanon.