Syria: Terrorist groups exhume Muslim caliph shrine

IDLIB, Syria

Iran-backed terrorist groups have raided a shrine in Syria believed to be of the Umayyad caliph Omar bin Abdulaziz in the northwestern Idlib province and made off with the remains buried inside.

A video footage published by pro-regime pages on social media Tuesday showed terrorist groups exhuming the shrine in the town of Deir Sharqi near Maarat al-Numan city.

Another video showed the grave opened and emptied. No information was available about to where the remains buried inside were moved.

In February, regime forces set fire to the area around the shrine when they took control of the town, causing material damage.

Omar bin Abdulaziz was the eighth Umayyad caliphs and his ancestry goes back to Omar bin al-Khattab, the second Muslim caliph and a companion of Prophet Muhammad. .

Omar bin Abdulaziz was named the fifth righteous caliph of Islam for his adherence to justice during his two-year and 5-month ruling period.

Writing by Mahmoud Barakat