A fringe jihadist organization, the Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah (Sunni Supporters Brigade), has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at the Prophet Elijah Orthodox Church in Damascus on Sunday that resulted in the deaths of at least 25 worshippers and injured 63 others.
In a statement shared on social media, the group asserted that the attack was a response to what it termed “provocations by Christians in Damascus,” and it warned of future attacks, including additional suicide bombings. Historically, the group has issued threats targeting Christians, Alawites, Druze, and Shia Muslims.
Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sara, vowed yesterday that those responsible for the “atrocious” church attack would face justice.
Islamist authorities in Syria have directly blamed the jihadist group Islamic State for the tragedy and mentioned that arrests were made on Monday as part of a wider security operation.
Syrian officials have identified a member of the Sunni jihadist group as the individual behind the suicide bombing at the Prophet Elijah Church.
According to Interior Minister Anas Hatab, an operation targeting “locations of Islamic State terrorist cell sites” was conducted. The ministry confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that all those responsible will be punished.
However, the Saraya Ansar al-Sunna group, which has only a few hundred followers on Telegram, dismissed this narrative as “false and fabricated.”
The group has also claimed responsibility for a February attack in the village of Arzeh in Hamara province and has issued threats against individuals associated with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
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