Syria’s new government had prevented a bombing attempt by the Islamic State (IS) targeting the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, a highly revered site for Shia Muslims located on the southern outskirts of Damascus. 

The operation, carried out by the General Intelligence Directorate in coordination with the Public Security Directorate, resulted in the arrest of four suspects, according to a security official from Syria’s Ministry of Interior.

Weapons, grenades, explosives, communication devices, and cash were seized from the suspects, which included two Lebanese nationals and a Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon, according to information released by Syria’s Ministry of Interior. 

Intelligence officials said the operation was part of a broader effort to track and neutralize IS cells exploiting the instability created by recent political and security upheavals following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad last month. 

The Sayyida Zeinab shrine, believed to house the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad’s granddaughter, has been repeatedly targeted by extremist groups in the past. 

In February 2016, a double suicide bombing near the shrine claimed 134 lives, while a triple bombing weeks earlier killed at least 70 people. A 2008 car bomb attack caused 17 fatalities, and a bombing in July 2023 resulted in six deaths.

Intelligence officials have confirmed that IS, although territorially diminished since 2019, remains capable of conducting sporadic but deadly attacks. In December 2024, IS militants killed 54 people in Homs province, many of whom were former Assad regime members attempting to flee. Syrian authorities have since intensified counter-terrorism operations across multiple provinces, aiming to dismantle IS networks and apprehend those involved in ongoing insurgent activities.

Officials have reiterated their commitment to protecting all communities and preventing extremist groups from exploiting the nation’s fragile security environment.