Syrian authorities apprehend suspects connected to devastating church attack that resulted in multiple fatalities: report

Syrian officials have announced that arrests have been carried out in relation to a fatal suicide bombing that resulted in the deaths of at least 25 individuals at a Greek Orthodox church over the weekend.

The interior ministry reported the arrest of “a number of criminals involved in the attack,” the Orthodox Times reported. 

The country’s Interior Minister, Anas Khattab, disclosed that the operation targeted “sites associated with cells of the terrorist group Islamic State,” as reported by the media.

Furthermore, during a security sweep near Damascus to dismantle cells connected to the Daesh (IS) extremist organization, explosive devices and a booby-trapped motorcycle were seized, as per France24.

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”, Sharaa said of the church bombing.

People gather outside the Mar Elias church in Dweil’a following the suicide bombing on June 22, 2025. (BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

The attack comes amid a time of heightened political unrest in the notoriously volatile Middle East – less than 24 hours after the U.S. launched airstrikes on three of Iran’s top nuclear facilities. 

Israel launched a series of similar attacks, including attacks on the Iranian capital, Tehran, in the weeks prior.

Fox News’ Kyle Schmidbauer and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]