A suicide bomb attack at a church in Damascus on Sunday left at least 20 people dead and over 50 injured, shattering a fragile calm in war-weary Syria.
The explosion occurred during a prayer service at the Mar Elias Church in the Syrian capital. Eyewitnesses said worshippers had gathered in large numbers when a suicide bomber entered the premises and detonated explosives.
The blast, followed by heavy gunfire, tore through the church interiors. Images and videos circulated online depicted a scene of utter devastation, mangled bodies, pools of blood, and smashed pews.
Syria’s health ministry confirmed that 20 people were killed and 52 others sustained injuries. Rescue operations were under way late into the evening, with authorities fearing the death toll may rise.
“There were around 400 people inside the church,” said a priest, recounting the chaos. “Two men opened fire at the entrance, then came in and blew themselves up.”
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Although no group has formally claimed responsibility, Syria’s interior ministry has hinted that the Islamic State (ISIS) may have orchestrated the attack. Reports also suggest that one of the attackers opened fire before triggering his suicide belt.
An eyewitness who happened to be driving past the church described the horror. “I was in my car driving when I heard an explosion just as I passed the church. People started screaming, and I heard gunshots,” he told a local news outlet. “Cars and ambulances started arriving. I saw many people injured and others may have been killed.”
Syria had only recently seen relative calm following years of brutal civil conflict. The return of such violence has heightened fears of renewed instability.
The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, is estimated to have claimed between 700,000 and 850,000 lives, including combatants.
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