Rhino: Agencies – The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Saturday that the Syrian intelligence service foiled an attempt by the Islamic State (IS) to target the shrine of Sayyida Zainab in the vicinity of the capital Damascus, one of the country’s Shiite shrines. It added that members of the “cell” were arrested before they could carry out a bombing inside the shrine.

A source in the General Intelligence Service told the agency: “We emphasize that the General Intelligence Service is putting all its capabilities to stand against all attempts to target the Syrian people of all sects.”

Defending the shrine has been a means of mobilization since the start of Syria’s 13-year civil war, which drew Shiite armed groups from across the region to support former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But Assad’s ouster last month has significantly undermined the position of Shiite powers in Syria, including Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is allied with Tehran.