At least 20 people were killed and dozens wounded when a suicide terrorist flew in the Mar Elias church in the Dweila neighborhood of the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday, health authorities and security sources said.
It was the first suicide bombing in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was shot down by a rebel insurgency led by Islamist in December.
The Ministry of Interior of Syria said that the suicide terrorist was a member of the Islamic State. “He entered the church, opened fire and then detonated his explosive vest,” added a statement from the Ministry.
A security source, which speaks under anonymity, said that two men were involved in the attack, including the one that was exploited.
The Islamic State has been behind several attempts at attacks against Iglesias in Syria since the fall of Assad, but this was the first to succeed, said another security source. Reuters.
The State News Agency of Syria cited the Ministry of Health by saying that 52 people were also injured in the explosion.
A live broadcast of the Syrian Civil Defense site, the White Helmets, showed destruction scenes from inside the church, including a bloody floor and shattered banks and masonry.
Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the offensive against Assad before taking charge in January for a transition phase, has repeatedly said that he will protect minorities.
“We unequivocally condemn the bombardment of terrorist suicide at the Greek Orthodox Church Mar Elias in Damascus, Syria,” said the Ministry of Greek Foreign Affairs in a statement.
“We demand that the Syrian transition authorities take immediate measures to hold those involved and implement measures to guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups, which allows them to live without fear.”
The Islamic State had previously attacked religious minorities, including an important attack against Shiite pilgrims in Sayeda Zainab in 2016, one of the most notorious bombings during the Assad government.
The last assault underlines the continuous capacity of the group to exploit security gaps despite the collapse of their territorial control and years of anti -terrorist efforts.
