Damascus, June 23
A suicide bombing at a Damascus church killed at least 22 people and wounded 63 others, marking the deadliest and first attack of its kind on a Christian place of worship in the Syrian capital in several years, officials said.
According to Syrian authorities, two attackers stormed Mar Elias (St. Elias) Orthodox Church in the predominantly Christian Dweilaa neighbourhood during Sunday evening Mass, opened fire on worshippers, and detonated explosive belts near the entrance.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the death toll and reported that women and children were among the victims.
"This was a condemned terrorist act. We first heard gunfire in the courtyard, then two men entered, fired on the congregation, and blew themselves up. Such a crime violates every religion and every shred of humanity," said parish priest Melatios Shtah.
"They were yelling sectarian slogans while shooting. Then everything went dark after the explosion," Worshipper Lawrence Maamari told news agency about the panic inside the church.
Authorities sealed off the area and urged residents to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles while hospitals issued urgent calls for blood donations.