Latest news with #Dweil'a
Arab News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Syria must respond decisively to Damascus church attack
A suicide bomber attacked the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Dweil'a, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, during this week's Sunday Mass, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 50 others. The Syrian Interior Ministry attributed the bombing to Daesh, but the little-known Saraya Ansar Al-Sunnah group later claimed responsibility. Authorities have arrested suspects believed to be connected to the attack. This was the first suicide bombing at a church in Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime in December last year and it underscored the continuing instability during Syria's political transition. The attack, which caused severe damage inside the church, has deepened fear among Syria's shrinking Christian population and prompted widespread international condemnation, including from the EU, the US, regional governments and the Greek Orthodox Church. Despite President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and other officials condemning the act as terrorism and pledging increased protection for religious sites, doubts and fears persist. This terrorist attack was significant, like all such attacks, but even more so because it provides a test for the new leadership in Syria. This is why Al-Sharaa needs a strong and decisive response to it. Leaving it unanswered could create divisions and add risks to the country's future. Social media has been flooded with various accusations of a lack of security, as well as a lack of a unified and direct response from the new government. Some are criticizing the fact that each ministry and many different officials all offered condemnation, showing a lack of strategy, as well as the absence of a unique presidential envoy to face this crisis. Others went as far as stating that the lack of protection was deliberate. The new government must show it is willing to protect and bring together all the ethnic and religious communities in Syria Khaled Abou Zahr They built these accusations on a pernicious point, which is that the patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, John X, is labeled by some as an Assad loyalist. They point out that he welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar Assad when they visited the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus, one of the oldest Greek Orthodox churches in the city, in 2020. The visit was part of a rare Putin trip to Syria. Conspiracy theories on social media espouse that there is an unstated policy of not providing sufficient protection to the community as payback for the patriarch's past alignment with the Assad regime. But the new president needs to act as the leader of all communities in the country, regardless of their past, and take powerful action to protect the Greek Orthodox community. This also means full reconciliation with the Alawite community. The new government must show it is willing to protect and bring together all the ethnic and religious communities in Syria. The former regime had presented itself as a protector of minorities, including Christian ones, against the tyranny of extremists such as Daesh. This week's horrific terrorist attack at the Mar Elias Church not only causes destruction and suffering, but it also threatens the future of the country. Hence, decisive action needs to be taken. There is a security and military aspect. First of all, enough security and protection must be provided to communities. Moreover, there is a need to face and destroy any nonstate actor that threatens any community or the order of the state. This terror attack is a clear sign of the need to oppose Daesh and other groups and dismantle them. This task cannot be delayed. Syria needs to break out of the jail the former regime created and adopt an inclusive approach to governance and security Khaled Abou Zahr But this is only one part of the solution. The other part is to make sure state institutions grant every single citizen from all ethnic and religious communities the same rights. This cannot be only on paper but in fact. This means that an entire overhaul of the state is needed. It is the thorn the previous regime left for any future peace and prosperity in Syria. This transformation is Syria's biggest challenge, but also its greatest opportunity for a stable future. Syria needs to break out of the jail the former regime created and adopt an inclusive and rights-based approach to governance and security. The new leadership needs to rebuild trust and build national unity with all ethnic and religious groups — Christians, Druze, Kurds, Alawites, Sunnis, Armenians and others. There is a need to break free from the Baathist structure of the state and establish a new constitution that guarantees equal citizenship, religious freedom and freedom of expression: the same rights and duties for all. This also means that justice needs to be precise. Entire communities cannot be condemned as being complicit with the Assad regime, as that was the only way to survive. But those who facilitated or committed illegal acts against the broader population need to be brought to justice. The same applies to those who committed acts of terror against minorities. Justice cannot and should not be one-sided. This also brings the need to consider a reconciliation process. These points are essential for long-term stability. These are difficult and dangerous tasks to take on, yet they are the only true solution. Today, the new leadership needs to show this resolve toward the Greek Orthodox community, regardless of the past. Worshippers of any community cannot be blamed for the ills of the past regime. Even if people understand how difficult finding the perpetrators of this terrorist attack might be, they at least need to be convinced that the new leadership is doing its best to find them, as well as protecting the targets from future attacks. These are the conditions required to move toward a fair and nationwide reconstruction. By ensuring this protection, the new leadership will build the path to the future on Syria's greatest strength: its rich cultural and religious diversity.
Associated Press
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Funerals held for victims in suicide bomb attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Syria
Funerals were held on Tuesday for victims of a suicide bomb attack on a church in Syria at the weekend that killed at least 25 people. The attack Sunday on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox church during a Divine Liturgy in Dweil'a, near Damascus, was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities.
The Independent
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mideast governments condemn suicide bombing of Syrian church as death toll rises to 25
The death toll from a suicide bomb attack on a church in Syria at the weekend has risen to 25, state media said Monday. The attack Sunday on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox church during a Divine Liturgy in Dweil'a, near Damascus, was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. The Interior Ministry and witnesses said a gunman entered the church and opened fire on the congregation before detonating an explosive vest. State news agency SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said 63 other people were wounded in the attack. Father Fadi Ghattas told The Associated Press that some 350 people were praying at the church. The United States, the European Union and governments across the Middle East condemned the attack, decrying it as a terrorist attack. 'These terrible acts of cowardice have no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving,' said U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack in a post on X. 'We continue to support the Syrian government as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region.' Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry in a statement affirmed Riyadh's rejection of 'the targeting of places of worship, the intimidation of innocent civilians, and the innocent bloodshed.' As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across the country, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of extremist groups in the war-torn country. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the church, but the Interior Minister has blamed the extremist Islamic State group. Syrians decried the attack, many seeing it as a blow to stability in the country after 14 years of war. Syrian Christians have appealed that the attack is not just a threat against them but to everyone in the country regardless of their religious affiliation. 'It is definitely an attack on civil peace and coexistence in this country,' said Wassim Boutros, who lives in Damascus. Wajiha umm Mohammed said that she and her daughter were devastated to learn that one of their friends was killed in the attack. 'All our lives, we've been Christians and Muslims together—living side by side,' umm Mohammed, a Muslim, said. 'We've never let anything divide us, and we won't start now.' She called for more government action to protect minorities. 'On our holiday—Eid al-Adha—there was a strong security presence at the mosque. So during mass, there should also be security, with checks on who goes in and out and proper screening," she said. 'Where was the security for this? This isn't right — it's wrong.' Since the toppling of Bashar Assad and his family's decades-long dictatorial rule of Syria last December in a lightning insurgency, al-Sharaa has been pushing to win the support of Syria's non-Sunni-Muslim minority groups who are concerned about life under Islamist rule. — Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
CTV News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Mideast governments condemn Syria church bombing as death toll jumps to 25
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, journalists and Civil Defence workers inspect the damage inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweil'a in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday June 22, 2025. (SANA via AP) DAMASCUS, Syria — The death toll from an attack on a church in Syria has gone up to 25, state media said Monday. The attack Sunday on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox church during a Divine Liturgy in Dweil'a near Damascus was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across the country, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of extremist groups in the war-torn country. The ministry and most witnesses said a gunman entered the church, and started firing at the people there before detonating his explosive vest. SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said 63 other people were wounded in the attack. Father Fadi Ghattas told The Associated Press after the attack that some 350 people were praying at the church. The United States, the European Union and governments across the Middle East condemned the attack, decrying it as a terrorist attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the Syrian Interior Minister has blamed the extremist Islamic State group. Since the toppling of Bashar Assad and his family's decades-long dictatorial rule of Syria last December in a lightning insurgency, al-Sharaa has been pushing to win the support of Syria's non-Sunni-Muslim minority groups who are concerned about life under Islamist rule. The Associated Press
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mideast governments condemn Syria church bombing as death toll jumps to 25
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The death toll from an attack on a church in Syria has gone up to 25, state media said Monday. The attack Sunday on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox church during a Divine Liturgy in Dweil'a near Damascus was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across the country, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of extremist groups in the war-torn country. The ministry and most witnesses said a gunman entered the church, and started firing at the people there before detonating his explosive vest. SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said 63 other people were wounded in the attack. Father Fadi Ghattas told The Associated Press after the attack that some 350 people were praying at the church. The United States, the European Union and governments across the Middle East condemned the attack, decrying it as a terrorist attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the Syrian Interior Minister has blamed the extremist Islamic State group. Since the toppling of Bashar Assad and his family's decades-long dictatorial rule of Syria last December in a lightning insurgency, al-Sharaa has been pushing to win the support of Syria's non-Sunni-Muslim minority groups who are concerned about life under Islamist rule.
