Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
‘Islamic State Kills 20 In Damascus Church’
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
DAMASCUS (Worthy News) – The United Nations special envoy for Syria has condemned Sunday’s attack at a church on the outskirts of Damascus that killed at least 20 people as a “heinous crime”.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said a member of the Islamic State jihadist group was behind the attack, in which at least 52 people were reportedly wounded.
The attacker entered the Greek Orthodox Mar Elias Church in Damascus’s Dweila neighbourhood during a service and opened fire before detonating an explosive vest, officials said.
It was the first known suicide bombing in the Syrian capital since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December by an Islamist-led rebel uprising.
Syria’s interior ministry said, “A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) or Islamic State, terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church… opened fire, then blew himself up with an explosive belt.”
U.N. envoy Geir Pedersen “condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack at St. Elias Church… which killed and injured civilians who were attending mass”, said his office. “He expresses his outrage at this heinous crime.”
BLOODIED FLOOR
The Syrian Civil Defence – whose emergency teams are widely known as the White Helmets – posted photos and video from inside the church showing a heavily damaged altar, pews covered in broken glass, and a bloodied floor.
A security official, speaking anonymously, said two men were involved in the attack, including the suicide bomber himself.
The Islamic State has been behind several attempted attacks on churches in Syria since Assad’s fall, but this was the first to succeed, security sources said.
The latest attack underscored broader dangers faced by Christians in the Islamic nation. “Though most of Syria is now under government control, in some parts of the country, pockets of conflict with rebels continue, and Christians are caught in the crossfire,” said Christian advocacy group Open Doors.
“Many of these rebel groups are composed of Islamist extremists. They forbid public expressions of the Christian faith and have demolished or taken over most church buildings and monasteries, even those belonging to the traditional Christian community.”
Syria, with nearly 600,000 Christians, according to some estimates, ranks 18th on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations where Open Doors says Christians face the most persecution for their faith in Christ.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
European policymakers, church leaders and representatives of Syria’s Christian communities have urged the country’s transitional authorities to protect minority Christians amid concerns over the future of believers in the war-torn Middle East nation.
A reported Houthi attack has struck Saudi Arabia’s strategically vital East-West oil pipeline, the massive cross-country system designed to keep Saudi crude flowing even when the Strait of Hormuz is threatened or closed.
Spanish-Moroccan relations, already strained over migration, faced more pressure Friday after Spain’s lower house of parliament approved legislation that would grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born when Madrid administered Western Sahara.
Russia launched fresh air attacks on Ukraine early Friday after NATO reportedly confronted Russian vessels trying to sabotage undersea cables, highlighting concerns that Moscow is attempting to extend the war by targeting Europe’s critical infrastructure.
Iran-backed Houthi forces seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, raising fears for global shipping as escalating Middle East tensions pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel.
The United States and its allies are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the worst terror attacks on American soil, which had worldwide implications ranging from wars to increased surveillance.
Several impoverished Christians have died across Pakistan in recent days amid what advocates describe as a pattern of violence, discrimination and hardship potentially threatening the Christian community throughout the predominantly Muslim nation, Christian sources told Worthy News.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com