In early 2016 there was a series of bombings in the mainly Shi'ite town of Sayyidah Zaynab and attributed to

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

January

On 31 January 2016, two suicide bombs and a car bomb exploded in the mainly Shi'ite town of Sayyidah Zaynab near Syria's holiest

Shi'ite Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...

shrine, the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque. At least 60 people were killed including 25 Shi'ite fighters and another 110 people were wounded in the explosions. The

claimed responsibility for the attack. This is second time the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque shrine has been targeted; in February 2015 two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded thirteen. The death toll rose to 71, including 42 Syrian army and Shi'ite fighters as well as 29 civilians.

February

The February 2016 Sayyidah Zaynab bombings occurred on 21 February 2016 after

militants detonated a car bomb and later launched two suicide bombings, about 400 meters from Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque, a

Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...

shrine, believed to contain the grave of

Prophet Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...

's granddaughter. 134 people were killed, including children. Syrian media said the attack occurred when pupils were leaving school in the area. Foreign led Syrian Observatory said 68 were killed. At least 60 shops were damaged as well as cars in the area. The attack, for which the

Islamic State An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

claimed responsibility, was the third attack in one year near the mosque.

References

Explosions in 2016 ISIL terrorist incidents in Syria Mass murder in 2016 Terrorist incidents in Syria in 2016 Attacks on Shiite mosques Violence against Shia Muslims in Syria Massacres of the Syrian civil war perpetrated by ISIL January 2016 crimes in Asia Islamic terrorist incidents in 2016 Mosque bombings by Islamists {{terrorism-stub