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A Deadly Explosion in Damascus Claims 22 Lives and Authorities Accuse ISIS
This evening, the capital city of Damascus witnessed a tragic incident following an explosion targeting the Mar Elias Church in the Douliqa neighborhood. The blast resulted in 22 deaths and wounded dozens, amid rising fears of escalating terrorist activities in the country. Syrian authorities have blamed the Islamic State (ISIS), considering the attack as a desperate attempt to undermine the fabric of national coexistence. Security agencies are continuing their efforts to secure the area and manage the aftermath of the incident.
Details of the event indicate that the Syrian Interior Ministry reported that a suicide bomber affiliated with ISIS entered the church building, fired shots, and then detonated a bomb strapped to his body. This cowardly terrorist act targeted a symbol of tolerance and communal living. A reporter from Al Jazeera quoted a source from the Ministry of Health stating that the number of victims gradually increased to a final toll of 22 killed, with 52 others injured. Ambulances are rushing to the scene to carefully transfer the wounded to nearby hospitals.
On the international level, several Arab countries—including Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain—as well as Turkey, condemned this attack. The incident marks a new escalation in terrorist operations against religious sites, aimed at destabilizing security. The UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, also strongly condemned the assault, describing it as a "heinous crime," and called on Syrian authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances of the incident.
In related remarks, the Syrian Foreign Ministry emphasized that this attack will not halt the country’s efforts to achieve national reconciliation. The military and security agencies continue their operations to pursue terrorist groups, especially amid intensified military campaigns by Syrian forces against ISIS in Aleppo and other areas.
This explosion is the first of its kind in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, amidst an escalation of clashes and security operations. Security forces have carried out extensive campaigns against ISIS and have been positioned along front lines with the organization’s elements in various regions, notably in Aleppo Province.
