30 killed in three bombings in Damascus

Damascus, Feb 22: At least 30 people were killed and many others injured in three bombings that rocked a predominantly Shia district south of Syria’s capital Damascus on Sunday, state TV reported.

The blasts took place close to the al-Sader Hospital in Teen Street in Sayyidah Zaynab district. The first was a car bomb explosion, which was followed by two other explosions by two suicide bombers, Xinhua reported citing state TV.

The bombings in Sayyidah Zaynab occurred just a few hours after twin blasts killed 46 people in the pro-government district of Zahra’ in Homs. A source told Xinhua five explosions rocked Sayyidah Zaynab district, where a key Shia shrine containing the tomb of Zaynab, Prophet Mohammad’s granddaughter, is located.

The district is guarded by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. Last month, at least 45 people died and 100 others were wounded in two explosions in the same district. The Sayyidah Zaynab tomb is a centre of religious studies for adherents of the Shia sect of Islam as well as a mass pilgrimage destination for Shia Muslims from across the world.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blasts. (IANS)