When a suicide bombing targeted the Mar Elias church in the Damascus area two days ago, it was my immediate suspicion that the attack was the work of the Islamic State (IS), since the group considers it acceptable to target any Christians who do not convert to Islam or agree to a dhimmi pact with the group (i.e. a pact where they have to pay ‘jizya’- a poll tax- and abide by various restrictions).
However, another group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunna (‘Squadrons of the Supporters of the Sunna’) has issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. The group has had a presence on social media for some time, primarily known for threats it has made against the Alawite minority. Here I will present some information on the group and its ideological positions, based on contact with a member, as well as the statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
Islamic State considers it acceptable to target any Christians who do not convert to Islam or agree to a dhimmi pact with the group.
According to the Saraya Ansar al-Sunna source, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna’s origins lie in a recruitment office for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham [HTS], working to recruit cells to operate behind enemy lines (i.e. the Assad regime). It performed a number of operations against the regime and continued to carry out such operations. At the beginning of the ‘liberation’ (i.e. when the Assad regime began to collapse in late November/early December), a dispute arose between the head of the office and the leadership of the insurgent offensive to bring down the regime, because the latter was releasing prisoners taken from the regime’s army.
Even so, cooperation continued until the regime was brought down, and then “the signs of replacing principles began to appear and their [the leadership’s] evil intentions became apparent, and they showed their hatred for the rule of the Islamic Shari‘a they initially said they were fighting for, and they proceed to implement the rule of man-made constitutions that God granted no authority for.” At this point, the head of the office called on those working with him to defect from “this misleading erroneous group” (HTS). A number of fighters joined him in this regard, forming the basis for Saraya Ansar al-Sunna. The group then carried out a number of assassinations against “Nusayris and those loyal to them” as well as attacks to taken them captive. These operations were carried out secretly until 31 January when the group’s fighters executed ten people who used to fight for the regime in the Alawite village of Arza in Hama countryside (where a massacre of Alawites took place). Then Saraya Ansar al-Sunna was announced, with one ‘Abu Aisha al-Shami’ appointed as amir of the group (he was the same head of the old HTS recruitment office).
The same source explains that the leadership of the group comprises two defectors from HTS, as well as a former member of the al-Qaeda loyalist affiliate Hurras al-Din. The group’s rank-and-file consists of former members of HTS and “a number of factions,” as well as “civilians who gave allegiance after the group was announced.”
With regards to Saraya Ansar al-Sunna’s positions, the source explains that “the new government through which HTS was dissolved” is an “apostate government” that commits “a number of Islam’s nullifiers” (‘nullifiers’ being a Wahhabi concept that certain acts, words and beliefs ‘nullify’ a person’s Islam, and thus that person falls into disbelief/apostasy). While the group believes it is in fact obligatory to fight the new government, it is not doing so for the time being. In contrast, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna considers IS to be “the people of truth” and that it is obligatory to support IS and join its ranks, but currently there is no cooperation between IS and Saraya Ansar al-Sunna.
The bombing is framed as a response to ‘provocation’ from the Christians on account of Christian opposition to Salafi da‘wa (proselytisation) in the Dweila neighbourhood of Damascus.
In short, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna is either a pro-IS splinter originating primarily from defectors from HTS (a group whose foundation is Salafi Islam) and other factions but currently operating independently of IS, or it is just an IS front group.
Below is the statement claiming responsibility for the Damascus church bombing. The bombing is framed as a response to ‘provocation’ from the Christians on account of Christian opposition to Salafi da‘wa (proselytisation) in the Dweila neighbourhood of Damascus—an incident that attracted some controversy in March, with the government intervening to put restrictions on the da‘wa. In fact, it is notable that said da‘wa was taking place in front of the Mar Elias church at the time.
I assess the statement of responsibility claiming responsibility for the attack to be credible. I provide the original with my translation.
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
After provocation from Damascus’ Christians against the right of da‘wa and the people of the faith- a provocation that went from hinting to outright statement and went from jest to seriousness, as they attacked the principles of da‘wa and deemed the creed’s sacrosanctity invalid, and thus replaced gratefulness for the bounty with opposition to it, and replaced the guidance of the mind with the fickleness of arbitrary whim- the martyrdom operative brother Muhammad Zayn al-Abidin (Abu Othman- may God accept him) proceeded to blow up the Mar Elias church in the Dweila neighbourhood in Damascus city, killing and wounding dozens.
We also declare that what the Jowlani government has published is untrue, a fabrication with no evidence to support it, and does not have weight in the mind’s balance. Indeed it is pathetic belittling of the minds of the people of al-Sham, and a desperate attempt to disseminate delusion at a time when the one who is deceived has become rare.
We, thanks be to God, are well and in a state of tamkin [enablement] and reassurance that will not be shaken by the rumours of those who seek to sow confusion, nor will it be diminished by the fantasies of the disseminators of falsehoods. For whoever thinks that falsehood will reign supreme through false words has been betrayed by his own discernment and has been beguiled by his tongue.
We affirm—and the words are decisive—that what is coming will not give you respite, and will not have mercy on your ignorance.
We affirm—and the words are decisive—that what is coming will not give you respite, and will not have mercy on your ignorance, for our soldiers—martyrdom operatives and commandos—are completely ready, in preparation and numbers and manning of frontlines that is not beset by weakness, and their ranks do not know retreat. Whoso desires salvation, the door of repentance remains open, so let him take the initiative before it is closed. For when we proceed, we do not turn back, and when we proceed, we do not slow down.
“And those who have committed wrong will know where they are returning to"- The Poets 227 [Qur’an 26:227].
And praise be to God the Lord of the Worlds.
Documents referenced in this article are available in the original Substack version.
Published originally on June 24, 2025.
