ISIS Takes Credit For Attack On Shiite Shrine Near Damascus

The Sunni militant group ISIS has claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing that occurred south of the Syrian capital Damascus near a Shiite Shrine on Thursday.

The attack targeted the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum, the country's most visited Shia pilgrimage site, killing at least seven people and injuring many more.

In a statement released on the Telegram, ISIS asserted that its members were able to breach the tight security measures imposed by the Syrian regime and militias guarding the mausoleum area. The group claimed that they successfully carried out the attack by parking and detonating a motorcycle bomb amidst a gathering of Shia pilgrims, who were assembling to commemorate the annual Shia Ashura ceremony.

"The attack on the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum was executed by our dedicated fighters, who managed to bypass the security measures and strike a blow against the Shia pilgrims," the ISIS statement read. In the past, ISIS has targeted Shias across the Middle East.

In their communication on Friday, ISIS further asserted responsibility for a separate bombing targeting a bus carrying Shia pilgrims in the same area. According to their claim, at least two individuals were wounded, and the vehicle was destroyed.

Officials from the Islamic Republic confirmed that no Iranian pilgrims were among the casualties. The Sayyida Zaynab shrine, a site of great religious importance, has been safeguarded during the Syrian war by Shia militias, notably supported by Lebanon's Hezbollah and other militia forces, in cooperation with the Syrian army. Iran has justified its involvement in the Syrian conflict by citing the protection of holy sites as one of its primary objectives, supporting President Bashar Al-Assad's regime in the process.