The shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, considered to be the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad's granddaughter, in southern Damascus. (Credit: Dylan Collins/AFP)
According to Iranian officials cited by the New York Times on Dec. 11, the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which leads Syria, assured Iran of its commitment to protect the country's Shiite minority and its holy sites. In light of fears of communal tensions, the new rulers of the country have tried to reassure minorities even before taking Damascus. In an interview with CNN on Dec. 6, Abou Mohammad al-Jolani, the de facto leader of Syria, emphasized that "Syrian communities have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years and no one has the right to eliminate them." A few days after the fall of the regime on Dec. 8, Dib Krayem, director of the Shiite sanctuary of Sayyida Zeinab, told AFP: "The mausoleum remained open and all employees returned," adding that "HTS representatives came to the...
According to Iranian officials cited by the New York Times on Dec. 11, the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which leads Syria, assured Iran of its commitment to protect the country's Shiite minority and its holy sites. In light of fears of communal tensions, the new rulers of the country have tried to reassure minorities even before taking Damascus. In an interview with CNN on Dec. 6, Abou Mohammad al-Jolani, the de facto leader of Syria, emphasized that "Syrian communities have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years and no one has the right to eliminate them." A few days after the fall of the regime on Dec. 8, Dib Krayem, director of the Shiite sanctuary of Sayyida Zeinab, told AFP: "The mausoleum remained open and all employees returned," adding that "HTS representatives came to the...
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