Shiite religious center opened in Idlib by pro-Iran faction
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, a faction affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened the first ‘Husseiniya’ center in the town of Khan Shaykhun, northern Idlib Governorate. The Othman bin Affan mosque was turned into a headquarter for the group.
Husseiniyas are religious congregation halls for believers of Shia Islam. They are used for a number of different religious proceedings, including celebrations of Imam al-Hussein’s death day (from which they derive their name).
A local source told North Press that the center’s inauguration was attended by militants of pro-Iran factions and a number of Shiite religious scholars, as well as officers of the Syrian government forces and the area’s residents.
The Husseiniya center in Khan Shaykhun, named after al-Imam al-Reda, includes a library of Shiite books, which are free be taken. It is monitored through CCTV cameras as well as four guards, and can accommodate over 800 worshipers.