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Damascus blast: Hizbollah sees Israeli involvement

DUBAI: A massive car bomb blast, close to a prominent religious structure, has killed at least 17 people in Damascus.

The incident took place during rush hour on Saturday in the crowded Sayeda Zeinab neighbourhood, said the state-run SANA news agency.

Several Shia pilgrims from Iran, Lebanon and Iraq visit the area to pray at the tomb of Zeinab, grand-daughter of Prophet Muhammad and daughter of Shia martyr Ali. According to SANA, nearly 2 million pilgrims visit the shrine annually.

The car was packed with 200 kg of explosives and blew up at a checkpoint on a road heading towards Damascus international airport. Footage broadcast on state television showed that a building had been damaged and vehicles destroyed.

The Lebanese Hizbollah blamed the attack on Israel, which has denied the charge. Damascus is home to Hamas leader Khalid Meshaal, who had been earlier targeted for assassination by Israel.

Bomb blasts have been rare in Syria, which has prided itself for its stability. Damascus also appears to be breaking out of its diplomatic isolation having recently hosted French President Nicolas Sarkozy and prominent regional heads in Damascus.

Nevertheless, it has not been immune to high-prolife attacks. A car bombing in February killed prominent Hizbollah leader Imad Mughniyeh.

Last month, a key security official, allegedly involved in “sensitive work,” was assassinated.

IAEA chief Mohamed El-Baradei on Thursday said the killing had hampered the agency’s probe into the possible nuclear work that Syria might have been carrying out.

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