At least 40 Iraqis have been killed and more than 120 wounded by two suicide bombings in Syria’s capital Damascus on Saturday.
The attackers struck at the Bab al-Saghir Cemetery with improvised explosive devices, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said.
Descendants and companions of the Prophet Mohammed — included the prophet’s cousin Ali, revered by Shia Muslims — are buried in the cemetery, in the southern section of the old city in Damascus.
Last year, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for deadly attacks near the Sayyeda Zeinab shrine.
However, pro-opposition activists are questioning if the Iraqis were “pilgrims”. They note that, in August 2012, almost 50 Iranian men were abducted from a bus travelling to Damascus. The Islamic Republic insisted that the men were on a pilgrimage, but they were later revealed to have connections with the Iranian military, including the Republican Guards.
TOP PHOTO: Scene of attack by two suicide bombers in Damascus on Saturday (Omar Sanadiki/Reuters)