At least 15 killed in Damascus church bombing attack, dozens wounded

The blast successful Dweil’a connected the outskirts of Syria’s superior was carried retired arsenic radical were praying wrong the Mar Elias Church.

A termination bomber successful Syria has carried retired an onslaught wrong a religion filled with people, sidesplitting astatine slightest 15 radical and wounding dozens more, according to the Syria Civil Defence and information officials.

The detonation successful Dweil’a connected the outskirts of Damascus took spot arsenic radical were praying during wide wrong the Mar Elias Church connected Sunday.

No radical instantly claimed responsibility, but the Syrian Interior Ministry said a combatant from the ISIL (ISIS) radical entered the religion and fired astatine the radical determination earlier detonating himself with an explosives vest, echoing immoderate witnesser testimonies.

The decease toll reported was a preliminary one. “Rescue teams from the Syria Civil Defence proceed to retrieve bodies from the scene,” a connection connected Telegram said connected Sunday.

Separately, 2 information officials confirmed the existent decease toll of 15 to the Reuters quality agency.

Official authorities bureau SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said that astatine slightest 50 others were wounded.

Britain-based warfare show the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says determination were astatine slightest 30 radical wounded and killed, but did not springiness nonstop numbers.

Some section media reported that children were among the casualties.

The onslaught was the archetypal of its benignant successful Syria successful years, and comes arsenic the fledgling interim authorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to triumph the enactment of minorities.

As al-Sharaa struggles to exert authorization crossed Syria, determination person been concerns astir the beingness of sleeper cells of groups similar ISIL (ISIS) successful the state recovering from astir 14 years of devastating civilian warfare that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Syria has made important inroads backmost into the planetary fold since al-Sharaa became president successful January 2025, with some the United States and the European Union lifting sanctions from the epoch of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

‘He was shooting astatine the church’

A witnesser who identified himself arsenic Rawad told The Associated Press that 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.

Security forces and archetypal responders rushed to the scene.

Panicked survivors wailed, arsenic 1 pistillate fell to her knees and burst into tears.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mostafa condemned the blast, calling it a “terrorist” attack.

“This cowardly enactment goes against the civic values that bring america together,” helium said successful a station connected X.

“We volition not backmost down from our committedness to adjacent citizenship … and we besides affirm the state’s pledge to exert each its efforts to combat transgression organisations and to support nine from each attacks threatening its safety.”

France’s overseas ministry condemned the “despicable” attack. France “expresses its afloat solidarity with the Syrian people, who anticipation that Syria volition find its mode backmost to peace,” the ministry said successful a statement

Photos circulated by the Syria Civil Defence showed the church’s interior country successful ruins, with pews covered successful debris and blood.

Responders and members of the Syria Civil Defence inspect the harm successful the religion [Firas Makdesi/Reuters]