Sheikh Mohammed al-Buti, a prominent Sunni cleric and staunch supporter of President Bashar al-Assad, was killed in a bomb blast at the Iman mosque in Damascus on Thursday. State news agency Sana reported at least 41 others died in what it called a 'terrorist' explosion.
The blast occurred in the Mazraa district as the 84-year-old cleric was giving religious lessons. State media said a suicide bomber carried out the attack. Witnesses described horrific scenes, with bodies torn apart inside the mosque.
The Free Syrian Army, the main rebel coalition, denied responsibility. Spokesman Loay Maqdad told al-Arabiya television: 'We do not do these types of suicide bombings and we do not target mosques.' The opposition National Coalition also condemned the attack.
Sheikh Buti was a Sunni Muslim who used his weekly televised sermons to urge support for the army against rebels. His death is a psychological blow to the Assad government, according to the BBC. The attack came as the UN announced it would investigate allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria.
