EPA

Ishtartv.com – fairfieldsuntimes.com

Jun 22, 2025

A suicide bomber blew himself up during mass at a Christian church in Damascus Sunday killing more than 20 and injuring more than 60.

The man targeted the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in the Syrian capital.

The Syrian Interior Ministry said the bomber was associated with the Islamic State, according to the BBC.

According to the news service, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch said in a statement: "The treacherous hand of evil struck this evening, claiming our lives, along with the lives of our loved ones who fell today as martyrs during the evening divine liturgy."

The church bombing comes with a new ruling government in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime earlier this year.

It also comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered attacks on Iran nuclear facilities and an underground base and in the midst of Israel’s war with Iran.

“On behalf of @POTUS and the American people, we would like to express our condolences to the victims, families, and individuals impacted by the terrorist attack today at Mar Elias church in al-Duwaileh,” said U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack.

“These terrible acts of cowardice have no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving. We continue to support the Syrian government as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region.”

The United Nations also condemned the attack, the first in years on a Christian church in Syria.