At least 20 individuals were slain and dozens more were wounded when a suicide bomber targeted Mar Elias Church in the Dweila district of Damascus on Sunday, Syria’s Interior Ministry said. The attacker, who was affiliated with the Islamic State, stormed into the Greek Orthodox church, started shooting, and then exploded a suicide bomb amid service.
Security sources, citing anonymous officials, suggested a second accomplice was involved. The explosion wounded 52 individuals, with reports indicating children may have been among the casualties. Footage from Syria’s civil defense force, the White Helmets, captured harrowing scenes of destruction—bloodied floors, shattered pews, and rubble-strewn aisles.
This is the first suicide attack in Damascus since Islamist-led opposition forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December. Transitional government leader President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was installed in January, has vowed to safeguard minority groups as he moves to assert control throughout Syria. Nonetheless, growing fears of sleeper cells among extremist groups continue throughout the conflict-torn country.
Information State Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of terrorism,” reassuring that authorities are still committed to equal citizenship and protecting society from such violence. France’s Foreign Ministry also decried the bombing as “abject, terrorist,” and reaffirmed support for a plural and peaceful Syria. Greece’s Foreign Ministry also condemned, calling upon the transitional authorities to protect Christian and other religious communities.
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen demanded a proper probe, saying he “condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack at St Elias Church” and denounced the horror.
While Islamic State does not occupy territory in Syria anymore, this attack shows the group’s continued ability to take advantage of security weaknesses. The bombing indicates the ongoing danger from extremist groups even as the world continues efforts toward stability in the region.
