On Saturday, a twin blast hit a southern Damascus suburb killing at least 16 and injuring over 50 people. One of the blast occurred near the Sayidda Zeinab shrine, linked to one of Prophet Muhammad’s granddaughters. The Daesh terrorirst group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
"The Secretary-General condemns today's attack carried out near the Sayidda Zeinab shrine in a Damascus suburb. Reports from local monitor groups said that several civilians, including women and children, were killed and many others wounded in this appalling terror attack claimed by Daesh," the statement published on Saturday said.
The statement added that Ban extended his condolences to the families of victims, as well as to Damascus and said that the perpetrators should be held accountable for their violence.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as the IS, which is outlawed in Russia among other countries.
