Fragile peace in Syria’s Set Zaynab as sectarian challenges persist

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported from Set Zaynab, a southern Damascus town known for the Sayyida Zaynab shrine, that residents describe a fragile improvement in security but remain wary after years of war and recent attacks. In the July 29, 2026 feature, shop owner Mohammad Sallouta said the area felt largely safe, yet not safe enough for people to stop worrying or for tourism to recover fully.

The town was once a major destination for Shia pilgrims, especially from Iraq, during Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Since the Assad government fell in December 2024, Al Jazeera reported that pilgrim traffic has sharply declined, with only smaller numbers of visitors from Gulf countries still arriving. The downturn has affected local businesses, including hotels, cafes and shops that depended on religious tourism.

Security concerns remain central. According to the report, Syria’s new authorities have disrupted alleged ISIL plots targeting Set Zaynab, and a cell was recently arrested over bombs linked to French President Emmanuel Macron’s July visit to Damascus. In May, Shia cleric Farhan Hassan al-Mansour was killed by a bomb placed in his vehicle, an attack ISIL claimed. Syrian security forces were present at the shrine during Al Jazeera’s visit, but the report described their presence as limited.

The feature also highlighted broader sectarian anxieties in post-Assad Syria. Residents interviewed spoke of coexistence between Sunni and Shia Muslims, but some feared the long war had hardened younger generations. The report said minority areas have faced security sweeps as the government confronts armed cells and former regime-linked groups. For locals, the return of visitors and normal commerce depends above all on whether public confidence in security can be restored.