Sayyida Zainab Shrine explosion was fabricated to improve new administration’s image, report says

An international report by research site The Cradle suggests that the recent explosion at the Sayyida Zainab shrine in Syria may have been a fabricated incident, allegedly aimed at bolstering the image of the newly established Syrian administration.

The report claims that media linked to the government led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has portrayed the incident as a terrorist attack to present itself as a protector of minorities, particularly to Western audiences. However, the report alleges this narrative contradicts ongoing sectarian violence in regions like Alawite-majority areas.

Additionally, the report states the incident serves external interests, particularly those of the United States, by exaggerating the threat posed by ISIS. This, it claims, provides justification for the U.S. to maintain its military presence in Syria and continue controlling the country’s oil resources.

Military experts that noted inconsistencies in the alleged attack, pointing out that a TM-57 anti-tank mine, reportedly used in the incident, is impractical for such operations. The device featured a crude detonator and an ignition system designed for suicide vests, which he deemed illogical and ineffective. The experts suggested the incident appeared staged, given the expertise of groups like ISIS and HTS in crafting effective explosives.

The report also cites the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, highlighting ISIS’s past attacks on the shrine. In 2016, two bombings killed over 200 civilians near the site. Historical precedents of shrine attacks, such as the destruction of the Al-Askari shrine in Samarra and Mosul’s Al-Nuri mosque by ISIS and its predecessors, were also noted.