At least 22 worshippers have been killed and 63 wounded in a suicide bomb attack at a Christian church in Syria.
The bomber opened fire as people were praying inside Mar Elias Church, in the Dweila neighbourhood of Damascus, before detonating his vest.
Some children are thought to be among the wounded, according to state media.
Horrifying footage showed blood splattered over the shattered pews and masonry walls following the blast.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Syria’s interior ministry said a member of the Islamic State group was behind Sunday’s attack.
‘A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church… opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt,’ the ministry said in a statement.
The attack 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 attack comes 24 hours after Syria’s security forces detained Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of