Damascus, June 24: A suicide bomber attacked a packed church during Sunday mass in Dweil’a, on the outskirts of Syria’s capital Damascus, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more, state media and government officials said.
The explosion occurred inside Mar Elias Church as congregants gathered for prayers. Syria’s Interior Ministry said the attacker, believed to be a member of the Islamic State (ISIL/ISIS) group, entered the church, opened fire on worshippers, and then detonated an explosives vest. The assailant died at the scene.
Initial reports placed the death toll at 22, but the Syrian Ministry of Health later updated the number to 25 fatalities on Monday. At least 63 people were injured, with some local reports indicating that children were among the victims. Emergency teams from the Syria Civil Defence continue recovery operations at the site of the blast, the Interior Ministry said on its official Telegram channel.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which marks the first major church attack in Syria in years and highlights persistent security threats in the war-ravaged country.
The bombing comes at a sensitive time for Syria’s interim government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is seeking to consolidate control and rebuild trust among the country’s diverse religious and ethnic groups following the removal of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Despite recent political changes and sanction relief from the United States and European Union, Syria continues to face internal unrest, with fears that sleeper cells of extremist groups remain active in parts of the country.
The attack underscores the challenges facing the al-Sharaa administration as it attempts to stabilize the nation after nearly 14 years of conflict that left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced millions.
