One little-known Sunni Muslim extremist group wey dem call Saraya Ansar al-Sunna don claim say na dem carry out the suicide bomb attack wey shelle for one church for Damascus over the weekend. This new claim don scatter the earlier tori wey Syrian government bin talk, say na Islamic State (IS) do am.
The group drop their statement on Tuesday, June 2, through Telegram — one messaging platform where dem get small followers. For the statement, dem talk say na one of their members carry out the suicide bombing for Saint Elias Church wey dey Dwelaa area for Damascus on Sunday. The attack kill at least 25 people and injure many others — na the worst attack on Christians for Syria in over ten years.
Dem talk say the bombing na reply to one kind “provocation” wey dem no explain well. Dem still deny the government version say na IS do am, say na lie and government just dey cook story. The group still warn say more violence dey come, and say their fighters “ready full ground.”
This attack come as Syria dey face fresh religious and tribal tension, especially after dem remove longtime president Bashar al-Assad last December. The new leaders wey be Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) quickly blame IS for the bombing and even say dem don arrest some suspects wey get link with IS.
Sunday bombing na the first time since 2011 wey suicide bomber go target Christian church for Syria. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights wey dey UK, this na strong warning say the religious wahala wey dey Syria don reach dangerous level, especially as the new government never fit control extremists.
People wey witness the attack talk say everywhere scatter. Pictures from the scene show say rescuers and locals dey help wounded people and check the church ruins, as church members still dey shock.
Experts still dey argue about who really be Saraya Ansar al-Sunna. One researcher Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi say the group fit be former members of IS or HTS wey break away. E also talk say dem leader na former HTS big man wey no dey happy with the current leadership, and say some members even get link to Hurras al-Din, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group wey the new government don dissolve.
Dem say the group don cause other religious attacks before — like the one for Hama province earlier this year, and dem still accuse dem say dem follow do massacre for March wey kill over 1,700 people, mostly Alawite civilians.
The church wey dem bomb — Saint Elias Church — don already get tension before. For March, small wahala burst there when some people protest say Islamic chants dey play near the church.
Now, this bombing don raise serious fear say the new Syrian government no fit control the extremist groups, even the ones wey dey their side before. Minority groups like Christians, Alawites, and Druze dey fear say dem no safe again as the country still dey try balance after the political change.
