Suicide Bomber Targets Damascus Church During Mass, At Least 9 Dead, Several Injured

<p>In a rare and deadly incident, a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a church on the outskirts of Syria&rsquo;s capital on Sunday, killing at least nine people, according to state media. The attack occurred during mass at the Mar Elias Church in Dweil&rsquo;a, near Damascus, and left scores wounded.</p>
<p>Syria&rsquo;s official news agency SANA, quoting the Health Ministry, reported at least 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the toll of wounded and dead could be around 30, though it did not specify exact figures. Some local outlets reported that children were among the casualties.</p>
<h3><strong>Damascus Church Blast: Witness Describes Scene of Chaos</strong></h3>
<p>A witness, who identified himself only as Rawad, told the Associated Press he saw the bomber near the church. &ldquo;He was shooting at the church &hellip; he then went inside the church and blew himself up,&rdquo; he recounted, as quoted by news agency AP. Rawad added that two other individuals were seen accompanying the attacker but fled the scene.</p>
<p>The Syrian Interior Ministry stated that the attacker was affiliated with the Islamic State group. According to the Damascus Ministry, the individual opened fire before detonating a suicide vest inside the church&mdash;details that matched eyewitness accounts.</p>
<h3><strong>Damascus Church Blast: </strong><strong>Government Condemns &ldquo;Cowardly Act&rdquo;</strong></h3>
<p>The bombing marks a significant escalation in violence, being the first such attack targeting a place of worship in Syria in years. It comes amid concerns over extremist sleeper cells operating in parts of the country, even as the government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to maintain nationwide control.</p>
<p>Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa strongly denounced the bombing. Calling it a terrorist attack, he said on X (formerly Twitter), &ldquo;This cowardly act goes against the civic values that brings us together.&rdquo; He further affirmed the government&rsquo;s resolve, stating, &ldquo;We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship &hellip; and we also affirm the state&rsquo;s pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organisations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Emergency responders and security forces quickly arrived at the church following the blast. Scenes of panic unfolded as survivors wept and prayed amid the devastation. In one heart-wrenching moment, a woman fell to her knees and broke into tears, AP reported. A photograph shared by SANA revealed the interior of the church strewn with debris and blood-covered pews.</p>