At least 45 people have been killed in three blasts near the Shia shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the Syrian capital Damascus, state media say. The Islamic State group said on social media it had carried out the attack. The shrine, which is highly revered by Shia Muslims, has been targeted before, most recently in February last year. The attacks came as delegates from the Syrian government and opposition groups gathered in Geneva for tentative UN-sponsored peace talks. The main opposition group backed down from its threat to boycott the talks but says the Syrian government must meet key demands if negotiations are to start. The head of the Syrian government delegation at the Geneva talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, said the attack confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism.
Syrian state media say the blasts near Sayyida Zeinab were caused by a car bomb and two suicide bombers.
TV footage showed burning buildings and destroyed cars.
The shrine contains the grave of one of the Prophet Muhammad’s grand-daughters. It continues to draw many Shia pilgrims, despite the civil war.
— bbc.com
