Latest news with #MarEliasChurch
LBCI
2 hours ago
- LBCI
Blast rocks church in Syria's Damascus: Witnesses tell Reuters
A blast rocked the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria's capital Damascus on Sunday, according to witnesses. One told Reuters a suicide bomber detonated himself inside the church. A spokesperson for Damascus security forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Suicide bomber attack on church in Syria kills at least 20 people
At least 20 people have been killed and 52 more are injured after a 'terrorist attack' on a Greek Orthodox church in the Syrian capital on Sunday, according to the country's health ministry. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Syria's Ministry of Interior Affairs told CNN that it was carried out by a 'suicide bomber affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.' He opened fire on the congregation of Mar Elias Church in Damascus, before 'detonating himself using an explosive vest,' the ministry said in a statement. A mass was being held at the church at the time of the attack, according to Syria's state news agency SANA. A video circulating on Syrian social media from inside the church shows dead bodies, significant destruction, shattered glass and broken chairs in the area where mass was being held, with blood visible throughout the scene. Syria's civil defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, said emergency teams were working to transfer the bodies to hospitals and secure the area. 'The treacherous hand of evil struck' on Sunday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch said in a statement, writing that 'an explosion occurred at the entrance of the church, resulting in the deaths of numerous martyrs and causing injuries to many others who were inside the church or in its immediate vicinity.' 'We offer our prayers for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolation of our grieving faithful. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our faith and, through that steadfastness, our rejection of all fear and intimidation,' the church said. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, expressed 'outrage' at the 'heinous crime,' his office said in a statement. 'Mr. Pedersen calls on all to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community in Syria. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and his hope for the recovery of those injured,' the statement said. The United States' Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, called the attack an act of 'cowardice,' saying in a statement that it has 'no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving.' The foreign ministries of Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Ukraine, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands also spoke out in condemnation of the attack. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Syria Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 20, Injures Dozens More During Church Attack: 'Cowardly Act'
At least 20 people were killed after a suicide bomber opened fire and detonated explosives inside a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22 At least 53 others, reportedly including children, were injured in the attack "This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together," Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa wrote on social media, calling the incident a terrorist attackA suicide bomber attacked a church in Syria, killing at least 20 people, including several children, and injuring more than 50 others. According to Reuters, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, Syrian state media reported that an attacker opened fire inside a busy Greek Orthodox church in Dweil'a — located in the outskirts of Damascus — before detonating an explosive vest on Sunday, June 22. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the country's Health Ministry said at least 20 people were dead and 53 others were wounded inside Mar Elias Church, per the outlets. Local media outlets also reported that children were among the dead. Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the bombing, calling it a terrorist attack, per AP. 'This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together,' he wrote on X. 'We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship … and we also affirm the state's pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organizations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.' No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, per AP, but Syria's interior ministry has said that the suicide bomber was a member of the Islamic State (sometimes known as ISIL or ISIS). Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to Reuters and AP, the attack came amid statements from interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa that he will act to protect minority groups in the country, after former President Bashar al-Assad's government was overthrown in December 2024. One witness who spoke to AP and a Syrian security source who spoke to Reuters said that a second man was believed to have been involved in the attack. The Greek foreign ministry also condemned the attack, telling Reuters in a statement: "We unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria." "We demand that the Syrian transitional authorities take immediate action to hold those involved accountable and implement measures to guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups, allowing them to live without fear," the statement continued. Witnesses who spoke to AP said the gunman entered the church during mass with his face covered and first began firing a gun. People inside the church charged at the shooter to try and force him outside, and he then detonated his explosives near the entrance of the building. "People were praying safely under the eyes of God," Father Fadi Ghattas told the AP, adding that he saw at least 20 people killed. "There were 350 people praying at the church." Photographs taken in the aftermath of the attack show emergency personnel with the Syrian Civil Defense — whose emergency teams are widely known as the White Helmets, according to the BBC — helping the injured into ambulances. A bystander named Issam Nasr, who was praying at the church, told the outlet that he saw people "blown to bits." "We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers," he said. Read the original article on People
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
At least 20 killed in Damascus church bombing attack, dozens wounded
A suicide bomber in Syria has carried out an attack inside a church filled with people, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens more, according to the Syria's Ministry of Health and security officials. The explosion in Dweil'a on the outskirts of Damascus took place as people were praying during mass inside the Mar Elias Church on Sunday. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the Syrian Interior Ministry said a fighter from the ISIL (ISIS) group entered the church and fired at the people there before detonating himself with an explosives vest, echoing some witness testimonies. The death toll reported was a preliminary one. 'Rescue teams from the Syria Civil Defence continue to recover bodies from the scene,' a statement on Telegram said on Sunday. Official state agency SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said that at least 50 others were wounded. Some local media reported that children were among the casualties. The attack was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as the fledgling interim government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to win the support of minorities. As al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across Syria, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of groups like ISIL (ISIS) in the country recovering from nearly 14 years of devastating civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. Syria has made significant inroads back into the international fold since al-Sharaa became president in January 2025, with both the United States and the European Union lifting sanctions from the era of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. 'He was shooting at the church' A witness who identified himself as Rawad told The Associated Press that he saw the attacker, who was accompanied by two others who fled as he was driving near the church. 'He was shooting at the church … he then went inside the church and blew himself up,' he said. Security forces and first responders rushed to the scene. Panicked survivors wailed, as one woman fell to her knees and burst into tears. Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mostafa condemned the blast, calling it a 'terrorist' attack. 'This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together,' he said in a post on X. 'We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship … and we also affirm the state's pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organisations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.' The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen condemned 'in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack at St. Elias Church' and expressed 'his outrage at this heinous crime.' His statement also noted 'that the Syrian interim authorities have attributed this attack to ISIL and (he) calls for a full investigation and action by the authorities.' Turkiye's foreign ministry said the 'treacherous' attack aimed to disrupt efforts to achieve stability and security in Syria. France's foreign ministry also condemned the 'despicable' attack. France 'expresses its full solidarity with the Syrian people, who hope that Syria will find its way back to peace,' the ministry said in a statement. Photos circulated by the Syria Civil Defence showed the church's interior area in ruins, with pews covered in debris and blood.
CNN
3 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Suicide bomber attack on church in Syria kills at least 20 people
At least 20 people have been killed and 52 more are injured after a 'terrorist attack' on a Greek Orthodox church in the Syrian capital on Sunday, according to the country's health ministry. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Syria's Ministry of Interior Affairs told CNN that it was carried out by a 'suicide bomber affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.' He opened fire on the congregation of Mar Elias Church in Damascus, before 'detonating himself using an explosive vest,' the ministry said in a statement. A mass was being held at the church at the time of the attack, according to Syria's state news agency SANA. A video circulating on Syrian social media from inside the church shows dead bodies, significant destruction, shattered glass and broken chairs in the area where mass was being held, with blood visible throughout the scene. Syria's civil defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, said emergency teams were working to transfer the bodies to hospitals and secure the area. 'The treacherous hand of evil struck' on Sunday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch said in a statement, writing that 'an explosion occurred at the entrance of the church, resulting in the deaths of numerous martyrs and causing injuries to many others who were inside the church or in its immediate vicinity.' 'We offer our prayers for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolation of our grieving faithful. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our faith and, through that steadfastness, our rejection of all fear and intimidation,' the church said. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, expressed 'outrage' at the 'heinous crime,' his office said in a statement. 'Mr. Pedersen calls on all to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community in Syria. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and his hope for the recovery of those injured,' the statement said. The United States' Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, called the attack an act of 'cowardice,' saying in a statement that it has 'no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving.' The foreign ministries of Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Ukraine, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands also spoke out in condemnation of the attack. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
