Damascus – The Syrian Ministry of Justice has published a lengthy statement, supported by video footage and details related to the massacre perpetrated at the Greek Orthodox Church of Mar Elias in Damascus on June 22, 2025. The jihadist suicide attack killed at least 25 worshippers gathered in the church to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Following the tragedy, representatives of the government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa pointed to unspecified cells of the so-called Islamic State (Daesh) as responsible, although this organization did not claim responsibility for the attack. For its part, the Saraya Ansar al-Sunna group, founded shortly after the fall of the Assad regime, did claim responsibility for the attack, justifying it as “punishment” after an alleged “provocation” by Christians in Damascus against “the people of faith.”
Almost eight months later, the recent ministerial report indicates that both the organizers and the perpetrators of the suicide bombing were quickly identified, reaffirming their affiliation with the Islamic State since 2017.
The document also details their movements within Syria and maintains that the cell received precise orders to carry out a coordinated operation, attacking both the Mar Elias church (during a liturgical celebration) and the Sayyida Zainab Islamic mausoleum with bombs and suicide belts. According to the report, based on interrogations of arrested accomplices, meticulous details are provided regarding the distribution of roles in planning the attack, as well as the preparation, assembly, and transport of the explosives used. However, the release of such detailed information by the Ministry of Justice, presented as proof of the new Syrian leadership’s commitment to prosecuting those who attack Christian citizens, has raised doubts among some observers.
By Agenzia Fides
