At least 42 people were killed and over 80 wounded in an explosion at a mosque in downtown Damascus on Thursday.
A suicide bomber set off an explosive device at the mosque during a religious lesson being given by Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, a top Sunni Muslim preacher and long time supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
84-year-old senior Muslim cleric and religious scholar was killed in the blast. Sheikh al-Buti used to deliver mosque sermons Fridays on state television. He particularly condemned terrorism and violence.
Assassination of senior Muslim cleric removes one of the few remaining pillars of support for Assad.
This is the first time a suicide bomber has detonated explosives inside a mosque in Syria's 2-year-old civil war.
Free Syrian Army, fighting the regime of Assad however have denied any involvement in the death of Sheikh al-Buti.
(with inputs from IANS)
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