Statement on the Terrorist Attack on Mar Elias Church in the Dweila Neighborhood – Damascus

Yekiti Media

The following statement was issued by the Assyrian Democratic Organization in Syria:

This Sunday evening, June 22, 2025, the hand of treachery and terrorism struck again, targeting Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of the Syrian capital, Damascus. According to preliminary reports, two suicide bombers carried out the attack—one detonated himself at the entrance of the church, while the other stormed the sanctuary, opened fire on unarmed worshippers, and then blew himself up inside. The attack, claimed by the terrorist organization ISIS, resulted in dozens of martyrs and injured victims, according to unofficial figures, in a tragic scene that has shaken the conscience of all Syrians.

The Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) strongly condemns this cowardly terrorist attack, which targeted peaceful people as they performed their prayers in a house of God. We consider it a crime against all humanity and a direct assault on the Christian presence in Syria. It is a message of violence directed against civil peace and the shared living among the components of Syrian society. The timing, location, and nature of this heinous act confirm that it was not a random incident, but a premeditated attack designed to spread terror, destabilize Syrian society, and undermine the hopes of all Syrians for freedom and security after decades of tyranny and years of bitter conflict.

The ADO extends its deepest condolences to the families of the righteous martyrs and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded. It also calls upon the Syrian government to fully assume its responsibilities in response to this despicable terrorist attack. According to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the attack was carried out by ISIS. The ADO urges the government to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. It must also hold accountable those responsible for any security failures. In addition, urgent protection must be provided for churches and monasteries across Syria. Concrete measures must also be taken to combat these terrorist groups.

Moreover, the ADO urges all Syrians, Muslims and Christians alike, to stand united in confronting these systematic attempts to tear society apart and terrorize its communities. The targeting of Christians in their churches is an attack on the values of pluralism and tolerance and on the diverse face of Syria that we all believe in.
Finally, the ADO reaffirms its commitment to the struggle for building a democratic, civil state that guarantees equal rights to all its citizens without discrimination and protects them from all forms of terrorism, marginalization, and exclusion. A state in which citizens can go to pray with confidence that safety and security prevail in the homeland they have endured, resisted, and fought for, a free and safe homeland for all.
Mercy to the martyrs, healing to the wounded, and may our churches remain beacons of faith and peace, their light never extinguished by the violence and darkness of terror.

Executive Office
Assyrian Democratic Organization
Damascus – Syria
June 22, 2025