Syria claims foiling Islamic State attack on Sayyida Zeinab shrine

Syrian intelligence under the country’s new leadership has reportedly foiled a plot by the Islamic State (IS) to bomb the Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab in a Damascus suburb. State media announced the arrests of individuals involved in the plan, attributing the information to an unnamed official from the General Intelligence Service.

According to the official, the intelligence agency is fully committed to countering any threats targeting the diverse population of Syria. The Sayyida Zeinab shrine has previously been a target for IS attacks, as the group, adhering to an extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam, views Shiites as heretics. A notable attack occurred in 2023 when a motorcycle bomb exploded at the shrine, killing six people and injuring dozens on the eve of the Shiite holy day of Ashoura.

The announcement of this foiled attack seems intended to reassure Syria’s religious minorities, many of whom supported the former government of Bashar al-Assad. Assad, an Alawite minority leader, was aligned with Iran, the Shiite Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and Iraqi militias backed by Iran.

The current de facto government, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), emerged as the ruling party after leading an offensive that overthrew Assad last month. Previously affiliated with al-Qaida, HTS is a Sunni Islamist group that has since severed those ties. Its leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has emphasized the importance of religious coexistence since taking control in Damascus.