A suicide bomber killed 25 people and wounded 63 others during an attack at a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22, marking the first such assault on a Christian place of worship since the country’s civil war began in 2011.
The attacker detonated an explosive vest at the entrance of the Saint Elias Church in the al-Dweilaa neighborhood during Sunday evening mass, according to Syrian authorities. The Interior Ministry reported that the bomber, affiliated with the Islamic State group, opened fire on congregants before detonating the device.
Father Fadi Ghattas, who witnessed the attack, reported seeing at least 20 people killed and noted that approximately 350 people were attending prayers at the time of the explosion. Witness accounts described the gunman entering the church with his face covered and firing at worshippers before a crowd attempted to remove him from the building.
The Islamic State splinter group Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday, June 24, through social media posts. The group, known as Brigade of Sunni Supporters, stated the attack was triggered by unspecified provocations by Christians in Damascus, referencing a March dispute at the church involving Islamic chants being played from a car outside the building.
Syrian authorities announced Monday that they had dismantled the terrorist cell responsible for the bombing, conducting raids that resulted in six arrests and two suspects being killed. Officials reported seizing explosives, suicide vests, mines and ammunition during the operations.
However, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna disputed the government’s claims through Telegram messages, calling them “untrue, fabricated.” The group, which formed after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, warned that future attacks would continue and that their fighters remained prepared.
The splinter organization has been linked to various sectarian attacks targeting Alawites, Christians, Druze and Shiite Muslims. Rights groups accuse the group of involvement in March massacres that killed as many as 1,700 mostly Alawite civilians.
Photos from inside the church showed extensive damage, with pews covered in debris and broken glass, blood spattered across walls, and a heavily damaged altar. The Syria Civil Defence emergency teams worked to recover bodies and transfer victims to hospitals.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch condemned what it called a treacherous act of evil, stating that the explosion occurred at the church entrance and affected both those inside the building and in the immediate vicinity. The patriarchate called on Syrian interim authorities to assume full responsibility for protecting churches and ensuring citizen safety.
Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mostafa denounced the bombing as a terrorist attack that contradicted civic values. He emphasized the government’s commitment to equal citizenship and vowed to combat criminal organizations threatening public safety.
The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a statement expressing profound shock and deep revulsion at the attack. The organization, representing Catholic bishops across Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus, declared that “there is no justification” for the slaughter of innocents in a sacred space.
Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims and their families, with the Vatican calling for peace in Syria. The Pope’s statement emphasized prayers for healing of the wounded and hope for the Syrian people.
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen condemned the attack and called for full investigation by authorities. He urged Syrians to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism and targeting of any community.
The attack occurred as Syria’s interim government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, attempts to establish authority and win support from religious minorities. Al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has repeatedly promised to protect religious and ethnic minorities since seizing power following Assad’s removal in December 2024.
International condemnation came from multiple countries, including Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and several European nations. Turkish officials called the attack treacherous and an attempt to disrupt stability efforts in Syria.
The Islamic State previously controlled 88,000 square kilometers of territory across Syria and Iraq before its military defeat in Syria in 2019. United Nations reports estimate that IS maintains between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq, with many leaders based in Syrian territory and approximately 300 fighters operating from the central Badia desert.
Syria’s Christian population, once comprising 10 percent of the country’s residents, has declined significantly due to war and persecution. The remaining Christian communities primarily reside in mixed neighborhoods within the major cities of Damascus and Aleppo.
