DWEIL’A, Syria — A suicide bomber in Syria opened fireplace then detonated an explosive vest inside a Greek Orthodox church crammed with individuals praying on Sunday, killing no less than 22 and wounding 63 others, state media reported.
The assault occurred in Dweil’a on the outskirts of Damascus contained in the Mar Elias Church, in response to state media SANA, citing the Well being Ministry for the toll of lifeless and wounded. Britain-based warfare monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned there have been no less than 19 peopled killed and dozens wounded, however didn’t give precise numbers. Some native media reported that kids had been among the many casualties.
The assault on the church was the primary of its type in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus below its de facto Islamist rule is attempting to win the assist of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority throughout the nation, there have been issues concerning the presence of sleeper cells of extremist teams within the war-torn nation.
No group instantly claimed accountability Sunday. Syrian Inside Ministry spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba mentioned in a information convention {that a} preliminary investigation pointed to the extremist Islamic State group. The ministry mentioned one gunman entered the church and fired on the individuals inside earlier than detonating himself with an explosives vest, echoing some witness testimonies.
“The safety of locations of worship is a crimson line,” he mentioned, including that IS and remaining members of the ousted Assad authorities try to destabilize Syria.
Syrian Data Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the bombing, calling it a terrorist assault.
“This cowardly act goes in opposition to the civic values that brings us collectively,” he mentioned on X. “We won’t again down from our dedication to equal citizenship … and we additionally affirm the state’s pledge to exert all its efforts to fight legal organizations and to guard society from all assaults threatening its security.”
Witnesses mentioned the gunman’s face was coated when he entered the church and began firing. When a crowd charged at him to take away him from the church, he detonated his explosives on the entrance.
Syria’s Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Kabawat, the nation’s Christian and feminine minister, met with the clergy on the church within the night to specific her condolences.
“Individuals had been praying safely below the eyes of God,” mentioned Father Fadi Ghattas, who mentioned he noticed no less than 20 individuals killed together with his personal eyes. “There have been 350 individuals praying on the church.”
Nevertheless, Meletius Shahati, a church priest, mentioned there was a second gunman who shot on the church door earlier than the opposite individual detonated himself.
Safety forces and first responders rushed to the church. Panicked survivors wailed, as one woman fell to her knees and burst into tears. A photograph circulated by Syrian state media SANA confirmed the church’s pews coated in particles and blood.
Issam Nasr, who was praying on the church, mentioned he noticed individuals “blown to bits.”
“Now we have by no means held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried had been our prayers,” he mentioned.
