A Shia cleric in Damascus was critically wounded on Friday after attackers threw a grenade into his car in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb. The targeted individual, Farhan Mansour, is a member of the Shia religious authority and a Friday preacher, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The incident took place near the Safir al-Zahraa hotel after Mansour had left the Sayyida Zeinab shrine.
Syrian security authorities confirmed an explosion caused by a hand grenade in the area but did not provide details on the reported target or casualties. The authorities cordoned off the site, intensifying security measures and conducting investigations. Mansour’s condition following the attack remains uncertain.
Sayyida Zeinab, known for housing one of Islam’s revered Shia shrines, has faced multiple attacks during the prolonged Syrian civil war. The recent incident occurred amidst escalating sectarian tensions in the region as the country moves towards post-conflict recovery.
In a separate incident in January 2025, Syrian authorities foiled a bombing plot at Sayyida Zeinab, attributed to a group associated with the Islamic State (IS). The thwarted attack was described as a criminal act aimed at the Syrian people, with security forces successfully preventing its execution.
The Sayyida Zeinab suburb has been a target of external aggression, with reports of missile strikes by Israel in 2024. The area was struck by Israeli missiles targeting a location affiliated with the Hezbollah and Iranian militias, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
