A Decade of War in the Shadows of Sayyida Zaynab
Mohammad Sallouta, 47, runs a printing shop in the southern Damascus town of Set Zaynab, a place once known for hosting large numbers of Shia pilgrims from Iraq. While he says the area is 90 percent safe now, the lingering 10 percent uncertainty keeps him and others in a state of cautious anticipation. Set Zaynab’s tourism, once vibrant under the Assad regime, has significantly declined since the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule in December 2024. These days, most visitors are small groups from Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, a sharp contrast to the large Iraqi pilgrim crowds of the past.
Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government has taken steps to stabilize Set Zaynab in the wake of the regime’s collapse. This includes thwarting attacks by ISIL, including the assassination of a prominent Shia cleric, Farhan Hassan al-Mansour, in May. ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack. More recently, in July, a bomb was planted during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus, but the device exploded and was blamed on a local ISIL cell arrested in Set Zaynab. Despite these successes, the new government faces a challenge in building trust with a population still wary after a decade of war.
Under Assad, Set Zaynab was under the protection of Iranian-backed forces, including Hezbollah, which helped maintain a kind of stability. However, that arrangement came with its own risks. When the regime fell, fears arose that the site might be targeted, especially as the war had increasingly taken on a sectarian tone. Now, while the new government claims to represent all Syrians, the reality on the ground is more complex. The presence of security forces near the shrine to Sayyida Zaynab is noticeable but not overwhelming. Locals describe it as relatively safe but not yet ready for a return to mass tourism.
A shopkeeper in Set Zaynab spoke candidly about life under the new government. But he added that he is frequently asked where he is from, which he interprets as an attempt to determine his sect. His biggest concern, however, is not with the older generation of military veterans. Rather, it is with their sons—many of whom left home in their teens to fight or flee the war and returned as adults with hardened views. He said, “I’m not afraid of them. I’m afraid of their sons.”
Security Sweeps and Unspoken Fears
Security forces are present in Set Zaynab, particularly around the shrine to Sayyida Zaynab, but their presence is not as overwhelming as it once was. Locals say they feel safe for now, but they are not yet ready to invite large numbers of foreign visitors. In recent months, the government has conducted security sweeps in Set Zaynab and other regions with significant religious minority populations. Authorities claim these operations have uncovered armed cells, but the real test will be whether such threats remain under control or reemerge in a more dangerous form.
For now, the people of Set Zaynab live in a state of cautious optimism. They talk about Shia and Sunni living in harmony, but their words are often accompanied by glances at the shrine, at the security forces, and at the quiet streets. There is still hope that life will improve, but the war left a legacy of fear that is hard to shake. As one local put it, the war taught the people to be afraid, and they are not sure if peace will come in the form they expect—or in a different, more dangerous way.