New Delhi, May 10: Top Shia Cleric and imam of Sayyidha Zayanb Shrine Sheikh Farhan Hassan al-Mansour’s assassination in the outskirts of Damascus demonstrates the strong presence of The Islamic State (IS) in the troubled nation.
The attack revived memories of the group’s past hit-and-run operations targeting carefully selected religious and military figures, demonstrating its ability to breach heavy security fortifications in one of Syria’s most sensitive areas.
Last Friday morning, a powerful explosion echoed through the southern suburbs of Damascus. The blast targeted al-Mansour’s vehicle while he was traveling near the Safir Al-Zahra Hotel area surrounding the shrine.
Syrian security source, who inspected the scene, said that an explosive device had been planted underneath the vehicle and detonated remotely, killing the cleric instantly and injuring several of his aides, as well as civilians who happened to be nearby.
The Sayyidah Zaynab shrine is one of the most important religious sites in Syria.
The ability to reach and assassinate the shrine’s leading cleric in the heart of his own stronghold sends a powerful message that ISIS sleeper cells still possess the capacity to monitor, maneuver and strike deep inside Damascus.
