Shia shrine caught up in Syrian violence

Seyyide Zeineb’s mosque, near Damascus, is one of Syria’s holiest places for Shia Muslims. The surrounding streets are normally among the busiest on earth, teeming with people.

It was in camps and homes around here during the Gulf war that two million Iraqis fled for safety. Now the Syrian crisis has arrived, bringing chaos.

“There is an ongoing food crisis. Everyone has fled their homes. I have 10 children. Certainly there is food, but nowhere near what there was before,” said one woman.

“We’re scared and we cry all the time. We just want our father to come back home safe and sound,” said one little girl.

Our reporter says tension is running high, with little on sale in the few open market stalls; only fear is plentiful.

“This is Seyyide Zeineb, an area of intense fighting over the last couple of days, the spot where 48 Iranians were kidnapped last week, and an important Shi’ite pilgrimage site. Many locals have left the area and most shops are closed,” says euronews’ Bora Bayraktar.

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