A suicide attack killed at least 22 people in Damascus on Sunday, according to the latest report from the de facto authorities, who blamed a member of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) for carrying out the attack.
The United Nations and numerous countries, including the United States, France, and Greece, condemned the assault — the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since radical Islamist forces overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024.
Security remains one of the gravest challenges for the new Syrian authorities, with the international community urging them to protect minorities and ensure their inclusion in the political transition process.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus stated that the perpetrator, who “belonged to the terrorist organization Daesh” (the Arabic acronym for IS), stormed the Church of St. Elias in the Dwel’a district of Damascus, “opened fire,” and then “detonated explosives” strapped to his body.
Outside the church, a distraught woman named Um George searched for her child, who had been inside during the attack. “My son prays in this church,” she said tearfully. “I’m trying to find him, but his phone is unreachable. I fear I may never hear his voice again,” she lamented.
Reporters from the French news agency witnessed paramedics evacuating worshippers from the church, where debris and icons lay scattered and bloodied.
According to the Ministry of Health’s latest update, cited by the official news agency SANA last night, the attack left 22 dead and 63 injured.
Eyewitness Lawrence Maamari recounted that “someone entered the church with a gun and started shooting indiscriminately. When the worshippers tried to stop him, he detonated the explosives he was carrying.”
IS, which seized large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 amid the civil war that began in 2011, declared a “caliphate” over territories in both countries. Under attacks from multiple fronts, this “caliphate” collapsed in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, but IS members continue to operate mainly from the vast Syrian desert.
In May, IS claimed responsibility for the first attack against Syria’s new de facto authorities. Authorities later announced the arrest of IS cell members near Damascus who were allegedly planning further attacks, while in a separate operation in Aleppo, a security officer and three jihadists were killed.
Patriarchate of Antioch: Stop the massacres
The Patriarchate of Antioch responded immediately to the bombing at the Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus. In a statement, the Patriarchate highlighted the loss of many martyrs and numerous injuries caused by the explosion.
It noted that they are still counting victims and collecting the remains of those killed, condemning the crime in the strongest possible terms. The Patriarchate called on authorities to ensure the protection of all citizens.
Patriarch John of Antioch urged the international community to mobilize in order to stop these massacres.
Greek Foreign Ministry: Religious sites must never be targets of terrorism
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the bombing at the Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus, describing it as a horrific suicide terrorist attack on a religious site.
The statement calls on the Syrian transitional authorities to act immediately and guarantee the safety of Christian communities.
🚨Syria: About 15 killed and about 25 wounded in a suicide attack apparently carried out by an ISIS operative at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus.
Is this what you expect from the Religion of Peace? pic.twitter.com/E5mzWPuWOW
— AbelDebabel (@AbelDebabel5785) June 22, 2025
There are concerns that HTS security forces may be interfering with the crime scene.
They encircled St. Elias Church shortly after the attack.
We urgently need international investigators on the ground — with the support of Greece and Cyprus — to ensure transparency and justice. pic.twitter.com/H1lN7Y8sZO— Greco-Levantines World Wide (@GrecoLevantines) June 22, 2025
فيديو متداول من داخل كنيسة “مار الياس” في منطقة #الدويلعة، شرقي العاصمة السورية #دمشق، يُظهر الأضرار التي لحقت بها جراء الانفجار.#سوريا #الميادين pic.twitter.com/MFK6OZG8xL
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) June 22, 2025
