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Syria: suicide bomber kills top Sunni preacher in Damascus mosque Syria: suicide bomber kills top Sunni preacher in Damascus mosque
(about 4 hours later)
A suicide bomber has blown himself up during evening prayers inside a mosque in Damascus, killing a prominent Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad, state TV has reported. A suicide bombing has torn through a mosque in Damascus killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of Bashar al-Assad along with at least 41 others.
The death removes one of the few remaining pillars of support of the Alawite leader within the minority sect that has risen up against him. The assassination of Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti removes one of the few remaining pillars of support for the Syrian president among Sunnis – the majority sect that has risen up against him.
Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar who often appeared on TV, was killed in the explosion in the Eman mosque in the central Mazraa district. The explosion struck as al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric and scholar who appeared often on TV, was giving a religious lesson in the Eman mosque in the central Mazraa district of Damascus, according to state TV.
Syrian TV did not give more details but said the explosion injured many people. It occurred at a time the mosque would have been packed with worshippers for Friday evening prayers. Suicide bombings blamed on Islamic extremists fighting with the rebels have become common in Syria's two-year-old civil war. But Thursday's explosion marked the first time a bomber has detonated explosives inside a mosque.
TV footage showed wounded people and bodies with severed limbs on the bloodstained floor of the mosque. Sirens echoed in the capital as ambulances went to the scene, which was sealed off by the military. Syrian TV said 84 people were injured in the blast and showed footage of wounded people and bodies with severed limbs on the bloodstained floor and later, bodies covered in white body bags lined up in rows.
Al-Buti's death is a big blow to Syria's embattled leader, who is fighting mainly Sunni rebels seeking his downfall. Al-Buti has been a vocal supporter of the regime since the early days of Assad's father and predecessor, the late President Hafez Assad. Al-Buti's death is a serious blow to Syria's embattled leader. The cleric has been a vocal supporter of his regime since the early days of Assad's father and predecessor, the late former president Hafez Assad.
In recent months Syrian TV had carried his sermon from mosques in Damascus live every week. He had a regular religious TV programme. In recent months, Syrian TV has carried his sermon from mosques in Damascus live every week.