Cyprus News Agency

According to Syrian health and security officials, a suicide bomber attacked the church filled with people.

No group has claimed responsibility yet, but the Syrian Interior Ministry said that a militant affiliated with ISIS entered the church, opened fire on the worshippers, and then detonated himself using an explosive vest.

A statement on Sunday via Telegram read: “Rescue teams from the Syrian Civil Defense continue to recover bodies from the scene.”

The official state agency SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said at least 50 people were injured.

According to some local media reports, children were among the casualties.

The attack was the first of its kind in Syria in recent years and comes as the newly formed interim government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa seeks to gain minority support.

As al-Sharaa struggles to establish authority across Syria, there are growing concerns over the presence of sleeper cells from groups like ISIS, which survived the nearly 14-year devastating civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Since al-Sharaa assumed office in January 2025, Syria has made significant international progress, and both the U.S. and the European Union have lifted sanctions imposed during the ousted Bashar al-Assad era.