Damascus church suspects captured by Syrian officials

Syrian officials announced on June 23rd that suspects in the Damascus church suicide blast were captured, Al-Monitor via AFP reported. President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice.

The attack killed 25 people and wounded 63 during a shooting and bombing at Dwelaa district’s Saint Elias church, according to Maghrebi.org. Eyewitness Lawrence Maamari told AFP that people tried to stop the attacker “before he blew himself up.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast marked Syria’s first church suicide bombing since the 2011 conflict began. It also marked the earliest such assault in the capital since Assad’s removal, France24 via AFP reported.

Officials stated the attacker had connections to the Islamic State group. So far, the group has yet to take responsibility for the attack.

The interior ministry announced it detained “a number of criminals involved in the attack” and confiscated bombs and a rigged motorcycle. The operation near Damascus acted “against cells affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group.”

Recent sectarian violence over the past few months has posed major security challenges for the new government. Sharaa declared the attack “reminds us of the importance of solidarity, and unity of the government and the people in facing all that threatens our nation’s security and stability.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the “horrible” attack. Meanwhile, the European Union said in a statement it “stands in solidarity” with Syria against ethnic and religious violence.

France 24, Al-Monitor via AFP, Maghrebi.org