ERBIL — Syria's General Intelligence Directorate has foiled a planned attack by the Islamic State (IS) on the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a major pilgrimage site for Shi'ite Muslims located in a Damascus suburb.

The state news agency Sana reported on Saturday that the militants, part of an IS cell, were arrested before they could detonate an explosive device within the shrine.

This foiled attack raises concerns about the potential resurgence of IS in Syria following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime last month.

The loss of Assad's government to the Sunni Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which took control on December 8, has led to growing fears among Syrians and foreign powers that the country’s new leadership may impose strict Islamic governance, threatening the safety and rights of minority groups such as Druze, Kurds, Christians, and Shi'ites.

However, in response to the foiled attack, Syria's de facto government has sought to reassure its citizens, particularly religious minorities, of its commitment to their protection. An intelligence official told Sana, “The General Intelligence Directorate is utilizing all its resources to confront all attempts to target the Syrian people in all their diversity.”

The Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a significant Shi'ite religious site, has previously been targeted by IS militants. The group claimed responsibility for a bombing at the shrine in 2017 that killed at least 40 people, as well as other attacks in the area.

Despite the growing concerns, the Syrian government’s actions in thwarting the recent attack signal an ongoing effort to prevent such extremist violence from destabilizing the region further.

The incident also underscores the persistent threat posed by IS in the region, even as the Syrian conflict enters a new phase following the change in leadership.