Watan-The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurdish commanders, rejected on Wednesday the Syrian government’s claim that the perpetrators of a deadly suicide bombing targeting a church near Damascus were non-Syrians who came from al-Hol camp, located in northeastern Syria.
In a statement released by the SDF’s media center, the group described the accusations made by Syria’s Ministry of Interior as “false” and “not based on any real facts or evidence.”
Al-Hol camp, which is administered by the SDF, currently houses around 40,000 people, most of whom are women and children suspected of having ties to the Islamic State (ISIS).
SDF Denies Link to Church Bombers, Refutes al-Hol Camp Claims
The church bombing occurred on Sunday, targeting a Greek Orthodox church in southern Damascus, killing at least 25 worshippers and injuring 63 others.
Syria’s Interior Ministry stated that the attackers were members of an ISIS-affiliated cell, were not Syrian nationals, and had infiltrated the capital from eastern Syria—specifically from al-Hol camp. Authorities claim all members of the cell have been arrested and that large quantities of weapons and explosives were seized in their possession.
In response, the SDF announced that they had launched a comprehensive internal investigation, which found no evidence of foreign nationals leaving the camp in recent months.
The statement noted:“The investigation confirmed that the only individuals who left the camp during this period were Syrians, and they did so at the request of the Damascus government.”
It also emphasized that Iraqi nationals who departed were returned to Iraq under Baghdad-supervised repatriation operations.
SDF Urges Transparent Probe into Church Attack, Denies Harboring Foreign Militants
The SDF further asserted:“There are no foreign terrorist fighters currently held inside the camp.”
The SDF—who led ground operations against ISIS until the group’s defeat in 2019—reaffirmed their ongoing cooperation with the U.S.-led international coalition to combat terrorism in Syria.
While expressing condolences for the victims of the Saint Elias Church bombing, the SDF called on the Syrian government to conduct a transparent and credible investigation and to publicly release its findings.
The statement concluded:“A fact-based approach is the only way to prevent such tragedies from recurring.”
Background:Before the war, Christians made up roughly 10% of Syria’s population. Though many have fled due to war and persecution, a significant number still live in mixed communities in cities like Damascus and Aleppo.
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