DWEIL'A, Syria — A termination bomber successful Syria connected Sunday detonated himself wrong a religion filled with people, sidesplitting astatine slightest nine, Syrian authorities media reported.
The detonation successful Dweil'a successful the outskirts of Damascus took spot arsenic radical were praying wrong the Mar Elias Church. SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said that astatine slightest 15 others were wounded. Britain-based warfare show the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says determination were 30 radical wounded and killed, but did not springiness nonstop numbers. Some section media reported that children were among the casualties.
A civilian defence subordinate inspects the harm aft a blast rocked the Mar Elias Church, according to witnesses, successful the Dweila vicinity of Damascus, Syria, June 22, 2025.
Firas Makdesi / REUTERS
The onslaught was the archetypal of its benignant successful Syria successful years, and comes arsenic Damascus, nether its de facto Islamist rule, is trying to triumph the enactment of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authorization crossed the country, determination person been concerns astir the beingness of sleeper cells of extremist groups successful the war-torn country.
No radical instantly claimed work Sunday, but the Syrian Interior Ministry said an extremist from the Islamic State radical entered the church, fired astatine the radical determination earlier detonating himself with an explosives vest, echoing immoderate witnesser testimonies.
A witnesser who identified himself arsenic Rawad told The Associated Press helium saw the attacker, who was accompanied by 2 others, who fled arsenic helium was driving adjacent the church.
"He was shooting astatine the religion … helium past went wrong the religion and blew himself up," helium said.
A subordinate of the Syrian information unit inspects the harm aft a blast astatine the Mar Elias Church successful the Dweila neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria, June 22, 2025.
Firas Makdesi / REUTERS
Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the attack, calling it a violent attack.
"This cowardly enactment goes against the civic values that brings america together," helium said successful a station connected X, formerly Twitter. "We volition to backmost down from our committedness to adjacent citizenship … and we besides affirm the state's pledge to exert each its efforts to combat transgression organizations and to support nine from each attacks threatening its safety."
Security forces and archetypal responders rushed to the church. Panicked survivors wailed, arsenic 1 woman fell to her knees and burst into tears. A photograph circulated by Syrian authorities media SANA showed the church's pews covered successful debris and blood.
People inspect the harm aft a blast astatine the Mar Elias Church successful the Dweila vicinity of Damascus, Syria, June 22, 2025.
Firas Makdesi / REUTERS
English (US) ·