The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday strongly condemned a suicide bombing in Damascus the day prior, as the death toll from the attack rose to 25.

At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighbourhood of the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday, health authorities and security sources said.

In a statement issued today, the FO said: “Pakistan strongly condemns the heinous suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria, on June 22, 2025, which resulted in the loss of precious lives and left many injured.

“Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria in this hour of grief, and reaffirms its strong support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the country.”

Meanwhile, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that the death toll rose to 25. The agency cited the country’s health ministry.

Syria’s interior ministry on Sunday said the suicide bomber was a member of the banned militant Islamic State grpup. “He entered the church, opened fire and then detonated his explosive vest,” a ministry statement added.

It was the first suicide bombing in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was toppled by a rebel insurgency in December.