Sana news agency in Syria reported on January 11 that Syrian intelligence agencies arrested the suspects before they detonated the bomb inside the Sayeda Zeinab mosque, a large gathering place for Shiite Muslim pilgrims.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior posted pictures of four men identified as members of IS, arrested on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. The ministry released images of the devices it said it confiscated from the suspects, including phones, two rifles, three explosive-like objects and several hand grenades.
The above attack plot raises concerns that IS is planning to rise in Syria after the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Some people in Syria and other countries have expressed concern that the new government in the country, led by the Sunni Muslim group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), may apply strict management policies. strict with ethnic minority groups. However, the Syrian interim government, after stopping the attack on Shiite Muslims, pledged to protect religious minorities.
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The IS group has claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks on the Sayeda Zeinab mosque, including a bombing in 2017 that killed at least 40 people, according to Reuters.
In another development, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited Syria on January 11 and said he would work with the Syrian government to strengthen security and resolve border challenges. The event also marked the first time a Lebanese prime minister visited neighboring Syria in 15 years.