IS Suicide Bomber Kills 13, Injures 53 Inside Damascus Church

A suicide bomber hailing from the extremist group Islamic State blew himself up inside a church in Damascus, a deadly attack that adds to Syria's sectarian woes as the war-torn country struggles to contain violence following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Thirteen civilians were killed and 53 were injured in the attack that targeted Mar Elias Church in the Syrian capital's Dweila district, the heath ministry told state-news agency Sana. Wearing an explosive vest, the assailant opened fire before detonating himself, according to the interior ministry which confirmed his affiliation to IS.

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Suicide bomber attack on church in Syria kills at least 20 people

At least 20 people have been killed and 52 more are injured after a 'terrorist attack' on a Greek Orthodox church in the Syrian capital on Sunday, according to the country's health ministry. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Syria's Ministry of Interior Affairs told CNN that it was carried out by a 'suicide bomber affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.' He opened fire on the congregation of Mar Elias Church in Damascus, before 'detonating himself using an explosive vest,' the ministry said in a statement. A mass was being held at the church at the time of the attack, according to Syria's state news agency SANA. A video circulating on Syrian social media from inside the church shows dead bodies, significant destruction, shattered glass and broken chairs in the area where mass was being held, with blood visible throughout the scene. Syria's civil defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, said emergency teams were working to transfer the bodies to hospitals and secure the area. 'The treacherous hand of evil struck' on Sunday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch said in a statement, writing that 'an explosion occurred at the entrance of the church, resulting in the deaths of numerous martyrs and causing injuries to many others who were inside the church or in its immediate vicinity.' 'We offer our prayers for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolation of our grieving faithful. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our faith and, through that steadfastness, our rejection of all fear and intimidation,' the church said. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, expressed 'outrage' at the 'heinous crime,' his office said in a statement. 'Mr. Pedersen calls on all to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community in Syria. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and his hope for the recovery of those injured,' the statement said. The United States' Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, called the attack an act of 'cowardice,' saying in a statement that it has 'no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving.' The foreign ministries of Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Ukraine, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands also spoke out in condemnation of the attack. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

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Syria Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 20, Injures Dozens More During Church Attack: 'Cowardly Act'

At least 20 people were killed after a suicide bomber opened fire and detonated explosives inside a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22 At least 53 others, reportedly including children, were injured in the attack "This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together," Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa wrote on social media, calling the incident a terrorist attackA suicide bomber attacked a church in Syria, killing at least 20 people, including several children, and injuring more than 50 others. According to Reuters, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, Syrian state media reported that an attacker opened fire inside a busy Greek Orthodox church in Dweil'a — located in the outskirts of Damascus — before detonating an explosive vest on Sunday, June 22. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the country's Health Ministry said at least 20 people were dead and 53 others were wounded inside Mar Elias Church, per the outlets. Local media outlets also reported that children were among the dead. Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the bombing, calling it a terrorist attack, per AP. 'This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together,' he wrote on X. 'We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship … and we also affirm the state's pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organizations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.' No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, per AP, but Syria's interior ministry has said that the suicide bomber was a member of the Islamic State (sometimes known as ISIL or ISIS). Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to Reuters and AP, the attack came amid statements from interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa that he will act to protect minority groups in the country, after former President Bashar al-Assad's government was overthrown in December 2024. One witness who spoke to AP and a Syrian security source who spoke to Reuters said that a second man was believed to have been involved in the attack. The Greek foreign ministry also condemned the attack, telling Reuters in a statement: "We unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria." "We demand that the Syrian transitional authorities take immediate action to hold those involved accountable and implement measures to guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups, allowing them to live without fear," the statement continued. Witnesses who spoke to AP said the gunman entered the church during mass with his face covered and first began firing a gun. People inside the church charged at the shooter to try and force him outside, and he then detonated his explosives near the entrance of the building. "People were praying safely under the eyes of God," Father Fadi Ghattas told the AP, adding that he saw at least 20 people killed. "There were 350 people praying at the church." Photographs taken in the aftermath of the attack show emergency personnel with the Syrian Civil Defense — whose emergency teams are widely known as the White Helmets, according to the BBC — helping the injured into ambulances. A bystander named Issam Nasr, who was praying at the church, told the outlet that he saw people "blown to bits." "We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers," he said. Read the original article on People

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Blood, destruction at Damascus church after suicide attack

At the blood-stained Saint Elias church in Damascus, Umm George wept as she desperately searched for her son, who was among the worshippers when a suicide bomber struck on Sunday. In vain, she tried to convince Syrian security forces, who had cordoned off the area, to let her into the church, whose windows had been blown out and whose interior was covered with debris and damaged pews. "My son was praying in the church," she told AFP. "I tried to contact him but his mobile phone is off the air and I haven't been able to find him." "I'm afraid I won't hear his voice again," she said, breaking down. Panicked family members rushed to the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital searching for loved ones after news of the blast spread. The interior ministry said "a suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group" entered the church, "opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt" in an unprecedented attack inside a Syrian church since war erupted more than 14 years ago. Authorities said more than 20 people were killed and dozens wounded. AFP correspondents saw blood and human remains inside the devastated church, whose panels holding religious icons were scattered on the ground and its central chandelier shattered. The blast sparked panic in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, an eyewitness said. - 'Extremely afraid' - Lawrence Maamari, who was among those inside, said that "someone entered from outside carrying a weapon" and began shooting, adding that people "tried to stop him before he blew himself up". Maamari said he helped move around 10 casualties from the scene, as local residents tried to help the wounded before ambulances and other emergency vehicles arrived. Other worshippers were shocked, unable to comprehend what had happened, their faces filled with grief. The force of the blast sent glass flying towards a shop opposite, where Ziad Helou, 40, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and threw himself to the ground in fear. "We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance," he said. Several churches were damaged during Syria's war, which erupted in 2011, or attacks were carried out in their vicinity, but none were directly hit by such an attack. The government of now-ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad long portrayed itself as a protector of minorities, who were targeted by numerous attacks during the conflict, many claimed by jihadist groups including IS. The attack is also the first of its kind since the new authorities took over after Assad's December ouster, while the international community has repeatedly called for minorities to be protected. "We were extremely afraid," said Helou. "I remember the explosions during the war," he added. bur-mam/lg/sbk