On Sunday, June 22, 2025, Damascus witnessed one of its deadliest attacks in recent years when a suicide bomber targeted the Church of St. Mar Elias in the Duwayla neighbourhood, east of the capital. The assailant stormed the church during a gathering of approximately 200 worshipers, opened fire randomly, and then detonated his explosive vest. The attack left 22 people dead and 53 others injured.
From the outset, suspicion immediately fell on ISIS. The Syrian Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement on Sunday that the attacker was affiliated with the terrorist group, noting that the operation followed a familiar ISIS pattern: indiscriminate shooting followed by a suicide bombing.
Clear ISIS Signature
In an analysis of the attack, Mostafa Amin Amer, an Egyptian researcher specialising in extremist groups and terrorism, stated that “the organisation is 99% behind the attack,” noting that “the details from start to finish bear the unmistakable fingerprints of ISIS.”
Speaking to +963, Amer said: “What happened at the Church of St. Mar Elias is a near copy of previous ISIS attacks on churches, such as those in Sri Lanka and Egypt. The group’s tactic is clear: armed infiltration followed by suicide bombing to inflict maximum civilian casualties.
According to Amer, the attack signals ISIS’s effort to demonstrate its ability to strike at the heart of Damascus, beyond its traditional zones of activity in Syria’s deserts and rural areas.
“ISIS is sending a clear message that it remains active on the Syrian scene and can hit deep within government-held territory despite tight security,” he said.
Amer emphasised that this was not a spontaneous operation but rather the result of ISIS exploiting global distraction from the Syrian file, allowing it to plan and execute the attack despite strict local security measures.
He added that the decision to target a church was no coincidence. “This is part of a deliberate propaganda strategy. For ISIS, churches are soft targets, but they also generate significant media attention. The group knows that attacking places of worship provokes both local and international outrage, and this serves its aim to reassert itself as a global threat.”
He further noted that this attack is part of a broader uptick in operations since December 2024, with ISIS expanding from the Syrian desert into major urban centres such as Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo.
“What we are witnessing is not a decline but an expansion of ISIS activity. The group continues to recruit, exploiting tensions and the lack of international coordination in counterterrorism efforts in Syria,” Amer said.
He concluded, “No security system in the world can guarantee 100% protection. This attack marks a new reality that may prompt the Syrian regime to further tighten its security apparatus, but it must do so cautiously to avoid harming Syria’s foreign relations or deepening its isolation.”
Widespread International and Regional Condemnation
The bombing prompted widespread condemnation from international and regional actors. United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen condemned the attack and called for “a comprehensive investigation and necessary measures,” emphasising the need for unity in combating terrorism and extremism.
U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, in a post on X, expressed strong condemnation of what he described as cowardly and horrific violence. He stressed that such acts have no place in the new culture of tolerance Syrians are striving to build, and reaffirmed America’s continued support for the Syrian government in the face of destabilisation attempts.
Michael Unmacht, head of the European Union delegation to Syria, expressed shock and deep sorrow in a post on X, reiterating support for Syrians’ right to live in peace and practice their religious beliefs freely.
The French Foreign Ministry also condemned the bombing and affirmed its readiness to assist Syria in combating ISIS. Similar condemnations came from Germany, Belgium, Italy, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Türkiye. Italy’s ambassador to Damascus, Stefano Rafanian, underscored that “protecting religious freedom and respecting human dignity must triumph over fanaticism and violence.”
At the regional level, the Lebanese government condemned the attack. Prime Minister Tammam Salam described the bombing as a criminal act targeting the Syrian state and its people, aiming to ignite sectarian discord. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun offered his condolences to the victims’ families and called for enhanced protection of religious sites to prevent such tragedies.
Inside Syria, both the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria condemned the attack in statements issued Sunday, stressing that “terrorism is a common enemy of all Syrians.”
In the aftermath of the attack, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all diplomatic missions to coordinate in advance before visiting the site, to ensure the safety of diplomats and to avoid compromising ongoing security operations in the area.
