Shiite cleric killed in grenade attack near Syrian capital of Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Assailants killed a Shiite cleric Friday near the Syrian capital by hurling a grenade into his car, state media reported.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack that killed Farhan al-Mansour, the main preacher at a Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.

State news agency SANA and state TV said that security was boosted in the southern suburb of Damascus, adding that security forces have launched an investigation to find the suspects behind the attack.

The area was the scene of intense clashes during the early years of Syria’s conflict that broke out in March 2011.

Tens of thousands of Shiite Muslims used to visit the Sayyida Zeinab Shrine where they believe the granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad is entombed. Since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government in December 2024, the numbers have dropped sharply.

Zeinab is a daughter of the first Shiite imam, Ali, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad. She’s especially revered among Shiites as a symbol of steadfastness, patience and courage.

Sayyida Zeinab has been the site of past attacks on Shiite pilgrims by the Islamic State group, which takes an extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam and considers Shiites to be infidels.