In a horrific act of terror that has sent shockwaves through global Christian communities, it is clear that the Hellenes of Syria are targeted and abandoned: Greeks of the Levant massacred in Damascus as Greek foreign policy falters. A suicide bomber attacked the Greek Orthodox Church of Mar Elias in Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 52 others.
The assault, which occurred during morning services, marks one of the deadliest single attacks on Syria’s Christian minority since the country’s civil conflict entered a new post-Assad phase.
The Attack
The suicide bombing took place in the Bab Touma district, a historically Christian quarter of Damascus. According to Syria’s Interior Ministry, the attacker was identified as a member of the Islamic State (IS). He reportedly entered the church disguised as a worshipper, opened fire on parishioners, and then detonated an explosive vest near the altar.
A second assailant is believed to have fled the scene, and security services have launched a manhunt across the capital. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but IS’s previous patterns and the targeting of minority religious communities strongly suggest its involvement.
However, growing evidence and analysis from international observers suggest that the current Syrian transitional regime under Ahmed al-Sharaa may have deep operational and ideological links with remnants of ISIS. Several senior officials in the new government were formerly associated with Islamist militias, and credible reports point to tacit cooperation between these forces and IS-affiliated elements during the final phases of Assad’s downfall. Increasingly, analysts argue that the regime and ISIS are no longer clearly distinct—but may represent two faces of the same extremist resurgence, sharing a common interest in suppressing secular, pluralistic, and minority communities.
A targeted community
The Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian sanctuaries in the city, was filled with worshippers attending a special liturgy. Livestream footage captured by local civil defence workers (White Helmets) showed graphic scenes: shattered pews, a collapsed roof section, and the floor covered in blood.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal condemnation of what it called an “abhorrent terrorist act,” demanding immediate protection for religious minorities and accountability from Syria’s transitional government. However, many within Greece and the wider diaspora have criticised Athens for what they see as a muted and inadequate response to the attack. Despite years of warnings about growing threats to Christian communities in the Middle East, successive Greek governments have failed to take any meaningful or consistent diplomatic or humanitarian initiatives to safeguard these populations.
Even more concerning, critics argue, is the Greek state’s continued willingness to engage diplomatically with Syria’s transitional regime, now led by a figure deeply embedded in Syria’s Islamist insurgency. Many view this government as tainted by direct or indirect support for jihadist groups, and fear that Greece’s pursuit of regional influence or economic diplomacy could be legitimising a regime that harbours or enables those responsible for such atrocities.
This passive stance contrasts sharply with the aggressive regional activities of Turkey, whose influence over parts of northern Syria—achieved through military occupation—continues to destabilise efforts to restore security and democratic norms in the region. Turkey has long been accused by rights groups and international observers of violating human rights, suppressing religious minorities, and enabling extremist groups during the Syrian conflict.
Its ongoing military presence in northern Syria, occupation of parts of Cyprus, and repeated violations of Greek airspace and maritime boundaries have further strained regional stability. Ankara’s refusal to acknowledge or prosecute the persecution of Christians and Yazidis in areas under its control, and its regular targeting of Kurdish and Christian villages in Syria and Iraq form part of a broader pattern of authoritarian expansionism and denial of international law.
A Volatile New Phase in Syria
This is the first major suicide bombing in Damascus since President Bashar al-Assad was deposed in December 2024 by a coalition of Islamist-led insurgents. The transitional government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former general who defected during the civil war, has vowed to protect minorities, but Sunday’s bombing highlights the fragile security landscape—and growing fears that the replacement of Assad may have simply empowered a more radical, unaccountable form of Islamist rule.
President al-Sharaa called the attack a “cowardly act of hatred designed to destabilise our nation and divide our people.” He announced a national day of mourning and ordered increased protection for religious institutions across Syria. However, international human rights observers remain sceptical of his administration’s capacity—or willingness—to truly safeguard Syria’s remaining religious minorities.
A Resurgent Islamic State?
While the Islamic State has lost territorial control since 2019, experts warn that its ideological and operational capacity is far from extinguished. The Mar Elias bombing is the first successful church attack by IS in Syria since the infamous Sayeda Zainab bombing of 2016, which killed over 70 Shiite pilgrims.
The group is believed to be exploiting power vacuums created by the fall of Assad and the reorganisation of Syria’s internal security forces. Analysts fear the Damascus bombing could signal a new phase of urban terrorism targeting symbolic and vulnerable communities, and many now warn that IS and elements of the Syrian transitional government may be aligned in a dark symbiosis, both benefiting from instability and the suppression of religious minorities.
International Reactions
Reactions from across the globe were swift:
Patriarch John X of Antioch, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Syria, condemned the bombing as “a direct assault on the Christian presence in the Middle East.”
The European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS) called for enhanced international cooperation to protect minorities and rebuild Syria’s civil institutions.
Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims and warned against “the rise of forgotten wars and forsaken peoples.”
In contrast, Greece’s foreign policy establishment has come under renewed scrutiny. Church leaders and analysts have expressed frustration over Athens’ failure to take concrete action, whether by leading diplomatic pressure, providing direct aid, or spearheading international efforts to protect Christians in Syria and the broader Levant.
What Happens Next?
The bombing highlights the broader instability facing Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction. While Assad’s fall was welcomed by many regional actors, the power vacuum left behind is now being tested by jihadist elements, sectarian militias, and foreign influence—including malign actors like Turkey that continue to militarise and exploit the chaos for geopolitical gain.
Christian and other minority communities, which once relied on Assad’s tight internal control for protection, are demanding guarantees from the transitional government and international partners alike. Without a cohesive security framework, experts warn, Syria may face a return to asymmetric warfare—this time with an even more fragmented political landscape.
A Warning to the Region
The bombing of the Mar Elias Church is more than an isolated act of terror. It is a chilling reminder of how quickly religious pluralism can come under threat in times of political transition. It also underscores the urgent need for regional and international stakeholders to prioritise the safety of minorities, the reconstruction of trust, and the restoration of the rule of law in post-conflict Syria.
For Greece, the time for symbolic gestures is over. A clear, principled foreign policy stance is needed—one that protects Hellenic communities abroad, supports religious freedom, and does not shy away from condemning regimes, no matter how diplomatically convenient, that turn a blind eye to the persecution of innocents.
And for the international community, the time has come to seriously confront not just the terrorist groups operating in Syria, but also the regional powers that continue to exploit instability, trample human rights, and erode sovereignty under the guise of “security.” Among them, Turkey’s role must be scrutinised, challenged, and held to account. And so too must the Syrian regime’s links to jihadist violence, which now threaten to consume what remains of Syria’s religious and cultural pluralism.
Yesterday’s heinous terror attack in Damascus should be a reminder to all the clueless people who believe that the Islamic savages currently invading Greece will integrate and “enrich” society.
Anyone who enters a country illegally, with the help of smugglers and in violation of the law, is an invader. If they’re Islamic invaders, then they’re also a national security threat.
What future can a country have if it does not have secure borders and a government that does not properly vet immigrants and decides who will be let in and who won’t be?
Mass Muslim immigration is as dangerous as a military invasion by a hostile army. Ignoring or denying the problem will likely lead to disastrous consequences, including terrorism and the painful death of the host nation.
