A suicide bombing on Sunday at a church in Damascus, Syria, reportedly left 22 people dead and 63 injured. 

The attack occurred at the Greek Orthodox Mar Elias Church in the Dweil’a neighborhood of Damascus. As people were praying during the service, the suspected ISIS attacker entered the church, wearing a mask to cover his face, and opened fire on the Christians. When a crowd rushed at the gunman to try to stop him from shooting, he then detonated his explosive device, killing himself and others at the church while wounding dozens more, according to the Associated Press.  

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No group or organization has claimed responsibility for the attack as of Sunday. However, Syria’s interior and foreign ministries blamed the suicide bombing on ISIS. 

“A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dweila area of the capital Damascus where he opened fire, then blew himself up with an explosive belt,” Syria’s interior ministry said in a statement.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa called the attack cowardly and said that it ran counter to the “virtues” that bring people together.

“This cowardly act goes against the civic values that brings us together,” said Mostafa. “We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship… and we also affirm the state’s pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organizations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.”

The suicide bomber did not act alone. According to eyewitnesses of the attack, at least two other people were involved. A church priest claimed there was a second gunman involved in the attack who was firing at the church before the suicide bomber detonated his device, reported the Times of Israel. 

Another witness, who identified himself as Rawad, described his recollection of the attack to the Associated Press.

“He was shooting at the church … he then went inside the church and blew himself up,” said Rawad.

The attack drew widespread international condemnation.

“We unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria,” said the Greek foreign ministry. “We demand that the Syrian transitional authorities take immediate action to hold those involved accountable and implement measures to guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups, allowing them to live without fear.”

“On behalf of @POTUS and the American people, we would like to express our condolences to the victims, families, and individuals impacted by the terrorist attack today at Mar Elias church in al-Duwaileh,” said Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, in a social media post on X.

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“These terrible acts of cowardice have no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving,” he added. “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.”

Geir O. Pedersen, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, expressed “outrage at this heinous crime” and categorized it as a terrorist attack on the church. He also attributed the attack to ISIS and called for “a full investigation and action by the authorities.”