A suicide bombing attack at a Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria’s capital city, has killed at least 22 people and wounded 63 others. The attacker, identified as an affiliate of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), detonated an explosive vest during a service on Sunday evening.
The attack occurred at the church in the Dweila neighbourhood, where witnesses described a heavily damaged altar and pews covered in broken glass. Another witness reported hearing gunfire followed by an explosion that sent glass flying.
This incident marks the first such attack in Damascus since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, ending 13 years of civil war. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch condemned the attack and called for greater protection of churches and citizens.
Syrian authorities have launched an investigation into the attack, with Interior Minister Anas Khattab vowing to “stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace”. The UN special envoy for Syria has also condemned the attack, urging Syrians to unite against terrorism and extremism.
IS has frequently targeted Christians and other religious minorities in Syria, and the group’s threat remains high despite its military defeat in 2019. The UN warned in February that IS might surge attacks during the transition in Syria and take advantage of new recruits.
Syrian authorities have promised to protect minority groups, but sectarian violence continues to rock the country.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c307n9p43z9o