Damascus Church Attack: Suicide Bomber Kills At Least 20 At Mar Elias Church, Dozens Injured

Damascus: A deadly terrorist attack shook Syria on Sunday, as a suicide bomber detonated himself inside a church, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens of others. The explosion occurred at the Mar Elias Church in Dweil'a, a suburb of Damascus, during afternoon prayers. The Syrian Civil Defence has confirmed the incident and is currently assessing the extent of the damage.

According to Syrian state media, the attacker entered the church and detonated his explosive vest. The Health Ministry reported that at least 53 people were wounded in the attack.

The eyewitnesses present at the site described the scene as horrific, with panicked survivors wailing for help. A photo circulated by Syrian state media showed the church covered in debris and blood.

"I saw the attacker who was accompanied by two others who fled as I was driving near the church," said Rawad, a witness who spoke to the Associated Press. "He was shooting at the church... he then went inside the church and blew himself up," he added.

Church Bishop Moussa Khoury described the attack, saying the attacker threw a grenade into the church during the afternoon Mass. "He started shooting, went and then he blew up the church," he stated. 

Meletius Shahati, a church priest, claimed there was a second gunman who shot at the church door before the other person detonated himself.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist attack. "This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together," he said in a post on X. "We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship... and we also affirm the state's pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organizations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety," Mostafa added.

The security forces and first responders rushed to the church to respond to the attack. The Syrian Interior Ministry said an extremist from the Islamic State group entered the church, fired at the people there, before detonating himself with an explosive vest.

Further details regarding the suicide bomb attack in the Syrian Church are awaited.