Grenade Attack Leaves Syrian Mosque Preacher Killed

(MENAFN) A preacher attached to the Sayyida Zaynab Mosque in the eponymous satellite city approximately 10 kilometers south of Damascus was killed Friday in an explosion, according to Syrian media, which identified the victim as Farhan al-Mansour.

A security source told media that Interior Ministry forces were deployed to the blast site to secure the area and prevent civilians from approaching, while specialized investigative teams were dispatched to determine the circumstances of the attack.

Subsequent reports clarified that the explosion was caused by a grenade hurled at a civilian vehicle rather than an improvised explosive device. No group had claimed responsibility as of 1500 GMT.

The attack unfolded as Syria's transitional administration continues efforts to consolidate security across the country following Assad's ouster in late 2024 — ending over five decades of Baath Party rule that dated to 1963. A transitional government headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa assumed power in January 2025.

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