U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is condemning Saturday's deadly attacks on a Shi'ite shrine in a Damascus suburb.
A statement from Ban Saturday evening said reports from local monitor groups in Syria said several civilians, including women and children, were killed and many others wounded in what he called an "appalling terror attack claimed by ISIL." The U.N. chief said those responsible for attacks on civilians must be held accountable.
Two blasts at the Sayyida Zeinab shrine killed at least 12 people and left many others wounded.
Syrian state media say a suicide bomber struck at the entrance of the shrine. That blast was followed by a car bombing at the heavily guarded shrine important to Shi'ites throughout the world. Some reports say 20 people were killed in the twin bombings.
The attacks took place in an area where several other bombings have taken place in the past, often claimed by Islamic State militants, also known as ISIL.
