Syria's Interior Ministry has formally confirmed that so-called Islamic State (IS) did carry out the devastating bombing of Mar Elias Church in Damascus last year, which killed at least 22 Christians and left dozens more injured during Sunday worship.
The incident happened last June when a suicide gunman burst into the Greek Orthodox church in the Dweil'a neighbourhood of Damascus during a service, opening fire on worshippers before detonating an explosive vest. As well as killing at least 22 people, 63 others were wounded.
Congregation members Geryes, Bourton and Milad bravely tackled the attacker, saving many lives at great personal cost.
The attack came at a critical time for the Syrian people. The Assad regime fell on 8 December 2024, ending over 50 years of family rule. A transitional government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa formally took power in March 2025, after a brief caretaker period. The Mar Elias bombing struck just three months later, while the new authorities were still rebuilding security institutions and trying to earn public trust.
This week, the Interior Ministry stated the attack was part of a broader strategy to undermine social cohesion and incite public opinion against Syria's new government and revealed that security forces had also foiled a parallel plot targeting the Sayyida Zainab shrine, a major Shia Muslim holy site.
Deputy Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Abdul Qader Tahan explained: “IS exploited the security vacuum that followed Syria’s liberation to move fighters from the Syrian desert into urban areas after the collapse of the deposed regime’s security and military institutions.”
Officials say counterterrorism efforts have intensified since the attack: roughly 1,300 suspected IS members, including senior leaders, have been arrested, and 34 IS cells dismantled. Immediately after the bombing, a ministry spokesman had declared that "the security of places of worship is a red line."
The attack was the first suicide bombing in Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime. It drew swift international condemnation, including from the UN Secretary-General, who called for full accountability.
Despite these reassurances, Syria's Christian community remains a vulnerable minority still adjusting to life under the transitional government. Christian persecution charity Open Doors say they remain watchful and have called for prayer for "our brothers and sisters" in the country.