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Damascus Suburb Blasts Kill 60 Near Shi'ite Shrine


Syrian pro-government forces inspect the damage following suicide bombings in the area of a revered Shiite shrine in the town of Sayyida Zeinab, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, Jan. 31, 2016.
Syrian pro-government forces inspect the damage following suicide bombings in the area of a revered Shiite shrine in the town of Sayyida Zeinab, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, Jan. 31, 2016.

Islamic State has claimed a triple bombing in a southern Damascus suburb Sunday that killed at least 60 people.

Two suicide bombers detonated explosives as rescue efforts were underway after a car bombing in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Damascus, near a revered Shi'ite shrine.

The violence occurred before Syria's main opposition group met with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva. Mistura is attempting to get warring Syrian factions to the negotiating table for a political solution to the country's nearly five-year civil war.

In a statement Sunday, European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the bombings were "clearly aimed to disrupt the attempts to start a political process."

Shi'ite fighters are among the dead in this predominantly Shi'ite city, according to an AFP report. The area has come under attack before, with several bombings near the shrine in recent years.

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