DAMASCUS – A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside the Mar Elias Church in Damascus on Sunday during mass, killing at least 19 people and wounding dozens more, war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The blast struck the Mar Elias Church in the capital’s Dweilaa district, according to local media reports.

Syria’s interior security authority said the attacker belonged to the Islamic State (IS) militant group, also known as Daesh.

The Syrian Civil Defense said the explosion caused multiple casualties among civilians, without providing exact figures. Authorities urged residents to stay clear of the area to allow emergency services to operate.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Xinhua/PNA