Intelligence officials in Syria's new de facto ... has been the site of past attacks on Shiite pilgrims by IS — which takes an extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam and considers Shiites to ...

Over 70% of Syrians are Sunni Muslims ... who make up around 10% of Syria's population. The sect is generally considered to be an offshoot of Shiite Islam. While IS has largely been defeated ...

Syria’s state news ... Sayyida Zeinab, a key site for Shiite pilgrims, has previously been targeted by ISIS, which follows a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam and regards Shiites as infidels.