Four dead after crowd crush at Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

Incident happened during an open lunch, social media activists say

People gather to enter Umayyad Mosque for prayers in Damascus, Syria, on Friday. AP

Four people were killed and sixteen injured in a crush at Umayyad Mosque in Syria's capital Damascus on Friday, Damascus Health Director Dr Mohammed Akram Maatouq told the state-run Sana news agency.

Five of the injured were children, who suffered fractures, severe bruises and fainting, the country's civil defence said in a statement.

"An unfortunate incident occurred today in the Great Umayyad Mosque as a result of a stampede during a civil event held in and around the mosque," Governor Maher Marwan told the state-run Sana news agency.

The governor said "we bear full responsibility" for the incident. "We are working to take urgent measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in public places in the future."

He added that the Ministry of Interior had launched an investigation to determine the details of the incident and its cause. He said necessary measures would be taken to hold those responsible accountable.

The White Helmets rescue group said three women were among the dead.

Social media activists said the crush occurred during a free lunch to celebrate victory after the overthrow of the Assad regime.

A YouTube influencer called Chef Abu Omar, who has a restaurant in Istanbul, had earlier posted a video of preparations for the distribution of free meals at Umayyad Mosque, AFP reported.

Rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, listed in the West as a terrorist group, toppled president Bashar Al Assad on December 8 in the culmination of a lightning offensive after years of stalemate in more than a decade of civil war.