A suicide bomber detonated himself during worship on Sunday, 22 June, inside Mar Elyas Greek Orthodox Church in the Dwelia neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria.
The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people and injured more than 60 others, according to sources. Local media sources reported that children were among the victims.
This marks the first known suicide bombing targeting a church in Syria. While no group has officially claimed responsibility, the Syrian Ministry of Interior stated that the attacker was believed to be a member of the Islamic State group.
The assailant reportedly opened fire on worshippers before detonating an explosive belt, causing mass casualties and chaos inside the sanctuary. Sources report that congregation members attempted to stop the bombing prior to detonation.
Father Youhanna Shehata, the parish priest of Mar Elyas, courageously assisted in carrying more than 20 bodies of the deceased following the blast. He estimated that 350 to 400 Christians were present in the church at the time of the attack.
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