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At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured after a suicide bomber attacked a church in central Damascus, Syria’s capital, on Sunday, officials confirmed.
The attack took place during a service at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in the Dweila neighbourhood. According to Syria’s interior ministry, the assailant, identified as a member of ISIL, entered the church, opened fire, and then detonated his explosive vest. A second man was reportedly involved but his fate remains unclear.
This marks the first suicide bombing in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was ousted by an Islamist-led rebel coalition in December. The incident highlights the persistent threat posed by ISIL despite the group’s territorial defeat.
The health ministry reported 52 people were injured in the blast. A livestream from the scene by Syria’s civil defence, the White Helmets, showed extensive damage inside the church, including bloodstained floors and shattered masonry.
ISIL has previously attempted attacks on churches in Syria, but this is the first successful strike since Assad's removal. A security source told Reuters the group had intensified its focus on religious minorities in recent months.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power in January for a transitional period, condemned the attack and reiterated his commitment to protecting minority communities.
The Greek foreign ministry also issued a statement, denouncing the bombing as "abhorrent" and urging Syrian transitional authorities to take swift action to secure all religious groups.
ISIL had carried out similar attacks in the past, notably the 2016 bombing targeting Shiite pilgrims in Sayeda Zainab, one of the deadliest incidents during Assad’s rule.
The latest bombing raises concerns over ongoing security lapses and the resurgence of extremist violence in the post-Assad era.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
President Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to the United States featured high-level talks, landmark agreements, and a historic peace signing, marking a turning point in Azerbaijan’s relations with Washington and the wider South Caucasus.
Iran has warned against a planned transport corridor proposed under a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, brokered with backing from U.S. President Donald Trump, saying it could threaten regional stability.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Syria, and deepening bilateral ties.
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday.
Kazakhstan has started construction of its first nuclear power plant near Ulken village, with completion expected in 2035-2036.
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