Damascus Church Bombing Kills 22, Dozens Injured

At least 22 people were killed and over 60 injured when a suicide bomber affiliated with Islamic State (Daesh) attacked Mar Elias (Saint Elias) Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus during a crowded Sunday service, opening fire before detonating explosives. The incident is the first suicide bombing inside a Syrian church since the civil war began in 2011 and the first major attack in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December. Eyewitnesses described chaos, gunfire, and devastation, with families searching for missing loved ones among the wounded and dead. Authorities and first responders quickly arrived to assist victims. The attack drew condemnation from the international community, including Kuwait and Türkiye, who stressed the necessity of protecting minorities and fighting extremism. Concerns have been raised about extremist sleeper cells taking advantage of Syria's current instability, and the Orthodox patriarchate has called on authorities to ensure the safety of all places of worship and citizens.