Syrian security forces arrest terror cell behind attack on Damascus church

ISTANBUL

Syria announced on Tuesday evening the arrest of all members of the terrorist ISIS (Daesh) cell responsible for the weekend bombing of a Greek Orthodox church in the capital Damascus.

At a press conference, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba said: “Syrian security units in Damascus’ countryside carried out an operation targeting the locations of the terrorist cell that carried out the bombing of Mar Elias Church in the al-Dweilaa neighborhood.”

He added that “the cell is linked to ISIS and has no connection to any religious organization," without providing further details.

Regarding the formation of the cell, the Interior Ministry spokesperson said it was led by a Syrian national named Muhammad al-Jamaili, also known as Abu Imad al-Jamaili. He was previously recognized within ISIS as its so-called “governor of the desert.”

As for the two suicide bombers, one carried out the attack on the church, while the other was apprehended en route to carrying out a similar attack at the Sayyida Zainab shrine near Damascus.

He added that they "infiltrated after the capital was liberated with the help of Abu Imad al-Jamaili, taking advantage of the security vacuum at the start of the liberation (last December). They are not Syrians."

The spokesperson described ISIS as a “cross-border terrorist group,” adding that Syria is cooperating with neighboring countries to combat the group.

An ISIS suicide bomber opened fire Sunday inside Mar Elias Church in eastern Damascus before blowing himself up, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens, according to the Health Ministry.

Since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Syria’s security services have continued to pursue individuals accused of involvement in crimes, human rights violations, and terrorism-related activities.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.​​​​​​​

Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, in January was declared president for a transitional period.