Suicide Bomber Kills 20+ in Damascus Church Attack, Islamic State Cited

A suicide bomber affiliated with the Islamic State carried out a deadly attack on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Dweila, near Damascus, Syria, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 50, including children. The attacker opened fire inside the church before detonating an explosive vest, with reports of a possible second gunman involved. This attack marks the first successful jihadist assault on a Christian church in Syria since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024. Syrian authorities and officials, including Interior Minister Anas Khattab and Information Minister Hamza Mostafa, condemned the attack as a cowardly terrorist act and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting minorities and combating criminal organizations. Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has vowed to protect religious minorities amid ongoing violence and concerns about extremist sleeper cells. The Greek Foreign Ministry also condemned the bombing, highlighting the broader international concern over the targeting of Christian minorities in Syria.