Twin bombing near Shia shrine kills at least 20 in Damascus

A car bomb and an attacker wearing an explosive vest have struck an area close to a holy shrine on the suburbs of the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 20 people were killed and dozens of others injured on Saturday when the explosions hit near the holy shrine of Hazrat Zaynab (Peace Be Upon Her).

Sources said a bomber blew up his explosives at the entrance of the shrine, leaving several casualties among pilgrims, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported.

It was followed by a second blast when an explosive-laden car parked on the nearby al-Tin street went off shortly afterwards.

Daesh Takfiri terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack. Daesh have hit the area at least three times this year, killing or injuring scores of people.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The United Nations (UN)’s Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict. The UN stopped its official casualty count in Syria more than two years ago, citing its increasing inability to verify the figures it received.