Suicide bomber attack at church in Syria

 

A suicide bomber detonated himself during worship on Sunday inside Mar Elyas Greek Orthodox Church in the Dwelia neighborhood of Damascus, Syria.  

The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, according to initial reports. 

This marks the first known suicide bombing targeting a church in Syria. While no group has officially claimed responsibility, the Syrian Ministry of Interior stated that the attacker was believed to be a member of the Islamic State group.  

The assailant reportedly opened fire on worshippers before detonating an explosive belt, causing mass casualties and chaos inside the sanctuary. Local social media sources reported that children were among the victims. 

Father Youhanna Shehata, the parish priest of Mar Elyas, courageously assisted in carrying more than 20 bodies of the deceased following the blast. He estimated that 350 to 400 Christians were present in the church at the time of the attack. 

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