‘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.

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