Syria state media reports casualties in suicide attack on Damascus church

Syrian state media reported a suicide attack on a Damascus church on Sunday that caused casualties, as news agency AFP reported first responders transporting people from the site.

"A suicide attacker detonates an explosive belt inside the Mar Elias church in the Dwelaa area of Damascus," state TV reported, adding that security forces cordoned off the area.

According to news agency AFP, its correspondents at the scene saw destruction at the church, with shattered wood from fittings and pews, icons on the ground and pools of blood.

The explosion in Dweil’a in the outskirts of Damascus took place as people were praying inside the Mar Elias Church.

A war monitor says there were 30 people wounded and killed, but the exact numbers are unclear. Some local media reported that children were among the casualties.

Some local media reported that children were among the casualties.

One witness told news agency also told news agency Reuters a suicide bomber detonated himself inside the church.

Damascus security forces have not immediately commented following the reported attack.

The attack was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto 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.

Security forces and first-responders rushed to the church.

An eye witness said in a video widely circulated online that the attacker came in and started to shoot at the people there before detonating an explosive vest he was wearing.