A suicide bombing at the Greek Orthodox Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus on Sunday left 22 dead and dozens injured, prompting international condemnation and calls for greater protection of religious minorities.
Syrian authorities said the attacker, affiliated with Islamic State, opened fire indiscriminately before detonating explosives. Around 60 people were wounded, according to state media.
In a strongly worded response, the Greek Foreign Ministry said: “Greece demands that the Syrian transitional authorities take immediate action to hold those involved accountable, and to implement measures that will guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups.”
The Patriarchate of Antioch also issued a powerful statement, condemning the attack “in the strongest terms” and describing the victims as “martyrs.” It added: “We are currently counting the martyrs and the wounded, and gathering the remains and bodies of our martyrs, whose exact number we have not yet been able to determine.”
His Beatitude Patriarch John X called on the international community to mobilise to stop the massacres and ensure the protection of all citizens.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis will raise the incident with his EU counterparts during talks today.
Source: euractiv.com
