The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced on July 17, 2026, that the Islamic State (ISIS) was responsible for the attack on Mar Elias Church in Dweila, near Damascus. According to official Syrian news agency SANA, the assault formed part of a broader strategy to weaken social cohesion and foster divisions within Syrian society. The attack occurred on June 22, 2025, resulting in the deaths of 22 Christians and three other people, including the assailant. Authorities had already identified ISIS as the main suspect shortly after the incident.
According to Deputy Interior Minister Major General Abdul Qader Tahan, security forces also thwarted a planned attack on the Sayyida Zainab shrine. The government stated that ISIS leveraged the period of instability following the political transition to move group members into urban areas, aiming to strike different segments of the population and amplify religious and social tensions. Tahan noted that the planned attacks on the Shiite shrine and the Christian church sought to provoke sectarian conflicts and undermine confidence in institutions rebuilt after the political transition.
The government also reported intensified counterterrorism actions, including efforts against ISIS financing networks and the identification of active cells. The Interior Ministry said approximately 1,300 ISIS-linked suspects were detained recently, including strategic leaders, and about 34 cells were dismantled during the period.
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