Suicide bombing at Damascus church kills 22, injures 63. Islamic State blamed for first such attack in Syria since 2011. Global condemnation follows.
Newsroom, June 23, 2025, Gaudium Press — A suicide bombing and shooting at Saint Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus during a packed service on June 22, 2025, killed at least 22 people and injured 63, Syrian authorities reported, attributing the attack to a member of the Islamic State (IS) group. The unprecedented assault, the first inside a Syrian church since the civil war began in 2011, has drawn widespread international condemnation and heightened concerns over minority protection in Syria’s fragile transition period.
Attacks on churches and monasteries have been recorded in various parts of the country, including acts of vandalism and looting and indirect attacks, especially in Al-Hasakah province during the control of ISIS in 2015. However, this attack marks a serious escalation in targeting houses of worship and the Christian component in Syria.
Attack Details
The attack occurred in the Dwelaa area of Damascus, where a suicide attacker, identified by the Syrian interior ministry as affiliated with IS, entered the church, opened fire, and detonated an explosive belt. “A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh [IS] terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church… opened fire, then blew himself up,” the ministry stated. State news agency SANA, citing the health ministry, confirmed the death toll and injuries.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos. Lawrence Maamari, who was inside the church, recounted how worshippers attempted to stop the attacker before he detonated the explosive. Ziad Helou, a 40-year-old nearby shopkeeper, reported hearing gunfire followed by an explosion, with glass and debris from wooden benches scattered as far as the church entrance. The church interior was left in disarray, with fallen icons, shattered pews, and bloodstains marking the floor.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted that this was the first suicide attack inside a church in Syria since the war’s onset, though other churches had faced nearby attacks or damage during the conflict. The blast, which occurred during a service attended by children and the elderly, sparked panic as families searched for missing loved ones.
International and Local Response
The Orthodox patriarchate in Damascus condemned the attack, urging authorities to “bear full responsibility” and ensure the protection of all citizens. Syria’s Christian population, which has dwindled from one million to under 300,000 due to displacement and emigration, faces heightened vulnerability amid ongoing instability.
The international community swiftly denounced the attack. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called it a “heinous crime” and demanded a full investigation. US Special Envoy Tom Barrack expressed support for Syria’s fight against destabilizing forces. Turkey, a key ally of Syria’s new authorities, voiced confidence in Syrian unity against terrorism. France’s foreign ministry reaffirmed its commitment to a pluralistic and stable Syria, while Egypt’s Al-Azhar condemned the attack as a “blatant assault on the right to life” and worship.
Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as an attempt to “undermine national coexistence and destabilize the country.” Interior Minister Anas Khattab, overseeing the investigation, vowed that such acts would not derail efforts to achieve civil peace. He noted that IS has shifted to targeting strategic sites, with authorities recently thwarting planned attacks on Christian and Shiite communities.
Context and Challenges
The attack marks the first major assault inside a church in Damascus since Islamist-led forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Assad had positioned himself as a protector of minorities, who faced repeated jihadist attacks during the 14-year civil war. The new authorities, grappling with security challenges, face mounting pressure from the international community to safeguard minorities and ensure their inclusion in Syria’s transitional process, especially after recent sectarian violence.
IS, which declared a “caliphate” across parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 before its territorial defeat in 2019, remains a persistent threat. Last month, the group claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces, and authorities arrested an IS cell near Damascus allegedly planning further strikes.
As investigations continue, the attack underscores the fragile security landscape in Syria, where protecting vulnerable communities remains a critical challenge for the new government.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCAN news and https://www.syriahr.com/
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