Shiite militia leader in Darayya after population displacement

Less than one week after the displacement of the population of Darayya city in Damascus western countryside, the leader of an Iraqi militia was seen on the ruins of the city under the pretext of visiting the alleged shrine of Saiyda Sukainah.

The media office of the Iraqi militia Liwa al-Imam al-Hussein published on August 31, photos of the militia leader, Amjad al-Bahadli, among a group of his militiamen where they said is the destroyed “shrine” of Saiyda Sukainah, while they were performing Shiite rituals.

https://orient-news.net/news_images/16_9/1472799284.jpg'>(Leader of Liwa al-Imam al-Hussein militia performing Shiite rituals in the alleged Saiyda Sukainah shrine, Darayya. August 31, 2016)

Many Shiite militias participated in the military attacks which targeted Darayya during the past four years, including Zulfiqar Brigade, al-Nujabaa, Liwa al-Imam al-Hussein, and Hezbollah Brigades of Iraq.

https://orient-news.net/news_images/16_9/1472799293.jpg'>(al-Bahadli with his militiamen in Darayya. August 31, 2016)

Tens of Shiite Iraqi families entered Darayya only few hours after Darayya’s population was displaced according to the agreement reached between Darayya representatives and Assad regime, after the latter threatened to burn the city, media sources reported.

https://orient-news.net/news_images/16_9/1472799298.jpg'>(al-Bahadli with his militiamen in Darayya. August 31, 2016)

The alleged shrine of Saiyda Sukainah witnessed many battles in its surrounding areas. Battles ended with Free Syrian Army’s control over the alleged shrine in March 2015, according to Enab Baladi newspaper.

It is worthy to point out that alleged shrine, whose construction started in 2003, was never heard of before 1999 and considered alien to Darayya.

The tomb is said to belongs to a woman who used to live in that area, far from downtown. Other accounts say that it is a tomb of “dog” that a man called Abu Sadiq used to have, according to the newspaper.