At least 20 killed in suicide bombing at church in Damascus

At least 20 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a church near the Syrian capital Damascus, the country’s interior ministry said. A BBC report said another 52 were wounded in the incident at the Mar Elias church in the Douaila area on Sunday.

A statement from the Syrian interior ministry said that a man entered the church during prayers and opened fire with a firearm before detonating an explosive vest strapped to his body.

Authorities say the attacker was affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group. Although IS has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Syrian Civil Defence has released several photos and videos from inside the church. They show the altar of the church destroyed by the explosion, the benches covered in broken glass, and the floor covered in blood.

A man outside the church said that a man entered with a gun and started shooting. When they tried to stop him, he blew himself up. A shop worker nearby said, “We saw the church on fire, pieces of wooden benches were flying and falling near the church door.”

The country’s interior ministry said that security forces had cordoned off the area around the church and an investigation had been launched.

The BBC wrote that this was the first suicide attack in Damascus since rebel forces ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December.