Written question – Horrific terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus – P-002561/2025

Priority question for written answer  P-002561/2025/rev.1
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (PPE), Georgios Aftias (PPE), Vangelis Meimarakis (PPE), Fredis Beleris (PPE), Eleonora Meleti (PPE), Emmanouil Kefalogiannis (PPE), Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE)

On Sunday 22 June 2025, at least 22 people were killed and 63 injured in a terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox church of the Prophet Elias in the outskirts of Damascus, when a suicide bomber opened fire and set off an explosive device in the presence of 350 worshippers. The 8th century church – considered to be one of the most important for the Greek Orthodox community in Damascus, a place of social gatherings on Sundays and religious festivities – suffered extensive damage.

Although no organisation has claimed responsibility so far, the spokesperson of the Syrian Ministry of Interior, Noureddine al-Baba, said at a press conference that the preliminary investigation showed the extremist organisation Islamic State to be responsible. This is the first terrorist attack in Syria since al-Assad fell from power, which raises concerns about the safety of religious minorities in the region and intensifies the need for effective protection of civilians and vulnerable communities in post-war Syria under the new transitional government.

Given the extremely worrying international geopolitical situation in the Middle East and following the massacres of religious minorities carried out by the new Syrian regime last March, can the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy say:

• 1.Does she intend to react promptly by condemning the horrific terrorist suicide bomb attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias?
• 2.What measures could she take to help guarantee the protection and safety of Christian populations in Syria and of the Christian monuments of Orthodox Christianity in the Middle East?

Submitted: 25.6.2025