6 killed in Damascus suburb bombing near Shiite Muslim shrine ahead of the holy day of Ashura
Beirut (AP): Explosives planted in a taxi detonated in a Damascus suburb near a Shiite Muslim shrine Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens a day before the solemn holy day of Ashura, state media reported, citing the interior ministry.
State-run Al-Ikhbariya TV and the state news agency said Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash also reported that 26 people wounded in the blast in the Sayida Zeinab neighborhood were being treated at several hospitals. Twenty others were treated on site or discharged, he said.
The Britain-based opposition war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that a woman was among those who died and that her three children were wounded.
The Observatory said the explosion occurred close to positions of Iranian militias, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad alongside Russia in Syria's civil conflict now in its 13th year.
Photos shared by Al-Ikhbariya and pro-government media show a charred taxi surrounded by large crowds of people and men in military fatigues. Green, red and black Ashura flags and banners hung from buildings in the area.
In a video shared on social media, people carried two men covered in blood and dust off the ground while calling for help. The glass facades of shops nearby had shattered, while one was on fire.
The neighbourhood is named after the shrine for Sayida Zeinab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Protecting the shrine became a rallying cry for Shiite fighters backing Assad in the early years of the conflict as it turned from an anti-government uprising into a sectarian civil war.
Ashura is the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which is one of the holiest months for Shiite Muslims. It marks the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein, and his 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in the 7th century in present-day Iraq. Ashura marks the peak of the mourning procession.
The explosion was the second in the Sayida Zeinab neighborhood in the days leading to Ashura. On Tuesday, Syrian state media citing a police official said that two civilians were wounded when a motorcycle laced with explosives was detonated.
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Minor boy strangled to death for ransom in UP's Sultanpur
Sultanpur (PTI): A debt-ridden neighbour allegedly kidnapped and murdered an 11-year-old boy boy at Sultanpur, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, Asif alias Sonu, demanded a ransom of Rs 5,00,000 for releasing Osama alias Sahil to repay his debts, Kotwali police station SHO Naradmuni Singh said.
"The incident took place in the Gandhinagar locality of Sultanpur. The victim's father, Mohd Shakeel, said his son went missing on Monday night after he left to attend a wedding procession. Despite searches, there was no trace of the child," the SHO said.
On Wednesday morning, Osama's body with strangulation marks was found at the residence of the accused whom the police arrested, he said.
Asif, who lives in the same neighbourhood as the victim, exploited the trust built between the two families to carry out the crime, the officer said.
The killing of the minor boy has triggered outrage in the area with the residents demanding stringent punishment for the accused.
The victim's family has called for death penalty for Asif.
