20 killed in attack at church in Damascus

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 20 people were killed and 52 others wounded in a bombing at a church in Damascus, the capital of Syria, media reports said on Monday.

The attacker detonated an explosive vest at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Syria’s Ministry of Interior said the assailant had opened fire on the congregation before carrying out the bombing.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the ministry told CNN the attacker was affiliated with the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS).

The bombing occurred during a mass at the church, according to Syria’s state news agency, SANA.

Footage circulating on Syrian social media shows a scene of devastation inside the church, including shattered glass, broken chairs and visible bloodstains. Several bodies were seen lying in the area where the mass was being held.

Syria’s civil defense organization, commonly known as the White Helmets, reported that emergency teams were working to transfer the victims to hospitals and secure the site.

This marks the first suicide bombing in Damascus since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

kk/sa