By Olatunbosun Obafemi
At least 20 people were killed and 52 injured when a suicide bomber attacked the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus on Sunday, Syrian health authorities confirmed.
The attack marks the first suicide bombing in the capital since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by an Islamist-led insurgency in December. According to Syria’s interior ministry, the attacker was a member of Islamic State (IS). He entered the church during a service, opened fire, and detonated an explosive vest.
A security source said two individuals were involved in the assault, though only one detonated explosives. IS has attempted multiple church attacks since Assad’s fall, but this is the first successful bombing, another source told Reuters.
Footage from the civil defence group, the White Helmets, showed a blood-streaked floor, shattered pews, and extensive interior damage.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who took power in January as part of a transitional government, has pledged to protect religious minorities. The Greek foreign ministry strongly condemned the bombing and urged Syrian authorities to act swiftly against those responsible, while demanding improved protection for Christian and other minority communities.
IS previously targeted religious sites under Assad’s rule, notably a 2016 bombing of Shiite pilgrims in Sayeda Zainab.
The latest attack underscores IS’s continued threat despite losing territorial control and facing sustained counterterrorism operations in Syria and Iraq.
