Attack at Damascus Church Claims Lives
On Sunday, a devastating attack occurred at the Maríaes Church in Damascus, Syria, resulting in the deaths of 22 Syrian Christians. A suicide bomber, reportedly connected to ISIS, detonated an explosive device amidst a prayer meeting attended by around 350 people. The Syrian Home Ministry indicated that, in addition to those killed, 63 others sustained injuries and are receiving medical care at a local hospital.
Witness Accounts of the Tragedy
Witnesses described the chaotic scene during the attack. Lawrence Maamar recounted seeing someone enter the church carrying weapons. People, he observed, were desperately trying to stop the bomber before he could detonate the explosives.
Another individual outside at the time mentioned hearing the gunshot followed by the explosion. “The church was in flames, and debris was everywhere,” he said, illustrating the destruction that ensued.
Isamu Nasr, who was at the church, shared his horror as he witnessed people being “blown over.” He mentioned, “We’ve never carried anything but prayers in our lives.”
Responses to Ongoing Persecution
The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the attack and urged for stronger measures to protect Christians and other religious groups. “We unequivocally condemn the abominable terrorist suicide bombings at the Marias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus,” the statement read, calling for accountability and safety measures for the Christian community.
Since Ahmed Alshara assumed the role of interim president in January, he has made several promises to safeguard religious and ethnic minorities. However, national officials noted that ISIS is actively working to create unrest during this critical transitional period for the country.
As previously indicated by various reports, ISIS has a history of targeting Syrian Christians and other religious communities, with this recent attack being the first of its kind in years.
In February, a warning was issued by the United Nations regarding the potential for increased terrorist activities as ISIS might exploit the changes in Syrian leadership. Concerns were raised about advanced weapons falling into the hands of terrorists, as mentioned by Governor Vladimir Boronkov, who leads the counterterrorism office.
According to Open Door USA, Syria remains one of the countries where Christian persecution is most severe, currently ranked 18th on their list.
