No fewer than 40 people were killed and 100 others wounded on Saturday when bombs ripped through buses carrying Shiite visitors close to the Shaghour neighborhood in Damascus, capital of Syria.
The blasts targeted an area near the Bab al-Saghir cemetery between the Shaghour and Bab Musalla neighborhoods, an area known for Shiite shrines.
It was confirmed that the bombs targeted two buses of Shiite visitors in that area, placing the death toll at 40. Most of those killed were Iraqis.
A local resident said the Syrian security forces arrived at the explosion site soon after the first bombing happened.
“I was at home when the blasts happened. All the people ran out of their rooms. The security forces asked us to stay away from the site, saying they would be responsible for the safety of the area. They then started to assist the victims and the injured Iraqis,” said Samer, a local resident.
Fifteen minutes later, the second blast tore through another bus.
“About fifteen minutes later, the second explosion occurred. Many soldiers who carried out the rescue were wounded. Then civilians took part in the rescue. Some soldiers died in the second blast,” said Samer.
According to an Iraqi TV station, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said victims in the blasts were mostly Shiite, who came here to visit Shiite shrines.
This is the first terror attack in this area since February 2015. No organization has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.
