A minimum of 20 individuals have been killed and 52 others wounded in a suicide bombing at a church on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria’s well being ministry has stated.
The attacker entered Mar Elias Church in Dweila throughout a service and opened hearth with a weapon earlier than detonating an explosive vest, in line with the inside ministry.
It added that he was affiliated with the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). There was no quick declare from the group itself.
The Syrian Civil Defence – whose emergency groups are extensively referred to as the White Helmets – posted pictures and video from contained in the church exhibiting a closely broken altar, pews lined in damaged glass and a bloodied ground.
One particular person informed AFP information company exterior Mar Elias that “somebody entered carrying a weapon” and started capturing. “(Folks) tried to cease him earlier than he blew himself up,” he added.
A employee at a close-by store stated: “We noticed hearth within the church and the stays of wood benches thrown all the best way to the doorway.”
Safety forces have cordoned off the world across the church and are investigating the assault, in line with the inside ministry.
It was the primary such assault in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by insurgent forces in December.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa – whose Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is a former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria – has repeatedly promised to guard non secular and ethnic minorities.
Nevertheless, the nation has been rocked by two waves of lethal sectarian violence in latest months.
