President Erdogan condemns Syria’s church attack
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the latest deadly attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, affirming that Turkiye would not allow Syria’s security to be undermined.
In a statement on X, Erdogan expressed his full support for the Syrian government and people in confronting terrorism, characterizing the assault as a deliberate attempt to erode Syria’s long-standing culture of coexistence.
Suriye’nin başkenti Şam’daki Mar İlyas Kilisesi’ne yönelik gerçekleştirilen menfur terör saldırısını lanetliyorum.Saldırıda hayatını kaybedenlerin ailelerine, yakınlarına, Suriye hükûmetine ve halkına başsağlığı diliyor, yaralılara acil şifalar temenni ediyorum.…
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) June 23, 2025
He also reaffirmed Turkiye’s commitment to countering efforts by armed groups to destabilize Syria, pledging continued backing for Damascus in its counterterrorism efforts.
The attack occurred on Sunday when a gunman—identified as a member of ISIS—opened fire on civilians inside the church before detonating an explosive belt. According to the Syrian Ministry of Health, the explosion killed 22 people and wounded 63 others.
