A suicide bomber attacked a church in Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens more. The blast occurred during mass inside the Mar Elias Church on the outskirts of the city.
According to the Syrian Ministry of Health and security officials, the attacker entered the church wearing an explosives vest and fired at the worshippers before detonating himself. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but officials said the attack was carried out by a fighter from the ISIL (ISIS) group.
At least 50 people were wounded in the attack, with some reports indicating that children were among the casualties. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams continue to recover bodies from the scene.
The attack has raised concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of groups like ISIL in Syria, which has been recovering from nearly 14 years of civil war. The Syrian government has made significant efforts to rebuild relations with the international community since President Ahmed al-Sharaa took office in January 2025.
Foreign leaders have condemned the attack, calling it a “terrorist” act and expressing outrage at the violence. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen also condemned the attack, urging a full investigation and action by authorities to combat criminal organizations.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/22/at-least-15-killed-in-damascus-church-bombing-attack-dozens-wounded