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A suicide bomber attacked a packed church on the outskirts of Damascus Sunday, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 60, state media reported.
The blast occurred inside Mar Elias Church in Dweil’a during Sunday mass. The Syrian Interior Ministry said the attacker, identified as an ISIL (ISIS) fighter, fired on worshippers before detonating an explosives vest. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
Photos showed the church interior in ruins, with survivors describing panic and chaos. Witnesses said the bomber arrived with accomplices who fled the scene.
The attack marks the first of its kind in Syria in years, amid ongoing concerns about ISIL sleeper cells as the interim government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa seeks support from minority communities.
The bombing drew widespread condemnation. Syrian officials called it a “terrorist” act against civic values, while the U.N. envoy for Syria demanded a full investigation. Neighboring Turkey also denounced the attack as an attempt to undermine regional stability.
With information from Al Jazeera.
