Twin blasts kill 40, injure 120 near shrines in Syrian capital

BEIRUT — Twin blasts Saturday near holy shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital Damascus killed at least 40 people and injured 120, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has previously carried out similar attacks against Shiite shrines in the Syrian capital and elsewhere. Extremist Sunni groups, such as ISIS, view Shiites as apostates and consider shrines a form of idolatry.

Syrian State TV aired footage from the scene showing blood-soaked streets and several damaged buses in a parking lot, apparently where the explosions went off near Bab al-Saghir cemetery. The cemetery is one of Damascus’ most ancient and is where several prominent religious figures are buried.

Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar visited the wounded in local hospitals. He said the attacks targeted civilians, including Arab visitors, who were touring area’s shrines.

Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said buses carrying Iraqi pilgrims to the shrines were targeted. He said a crisis response team has been formed to expedite the identification and transport of the killed and wounded.

“The ministry calls on the international community to condemn this heinous terrorist crime that targeted civilian Iraqi visitors to the holy shrines. It also urges a firm and decisive stand against the takfiri groups responsible for them,” Jamal said in a statement. Takfiri is an Arabic derogatory term referring to extremist Sunni Muslims — such as members of ISIS — who accuse other Muslims of being infidels.

Iraqi, Iranian and other Asian Shiites often visit shrines in Syria.

U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Ali al-Za’tari condemned the attacks, saying “targeting civilians is a terrorist act, condemned and rejected by anyone who has a conscience in this world.”

Lebanon’s Hezbollah group also condemned the attacks, saying they stem from a “Takfiri ideology that uses religion as a cover to stab religion and believers everywhere.”

There were conflicting reports about what caused the explosions. State news agency SANA said the blasts were caused by bombs placed near the cemetery.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group with activists on the ground, said the first blast came after a suicide bomber blew himself up among the pilgrims near the shrines. It was not clear what caused the second explosion, the group said, adding that the death toll is likely higher because dozens were wounded.

Also Saturday, Syria’s President Bashar Assad told Hong-Kong based Phoenix TV that his military’s priority is to reach the Islamic State group’s de-facto capital of Raqqa — toward which U.S.backed Kurdish-led forces are also advancing.

Assad also said that another ISIS stronghold, Deir elZour, may be targeted in a parallel advance.

LOUAI BESHARA/GETTY-AFP Syrian forensics personnel investigate after two attacks Saturday in Damascus.