SDF refutes Syrian government claims regarding Mar Elias Church bombing

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA, Beth Nahrin – The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has issued a statement refuting recent claims made by Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din Al-Baba, who alleged that the two suicide bombers behind the deadly attack on Mar Elias Church in the Douileh neighborhood of Daramsuq (Damascus) originated from al-Hol Camp in North and East Syria and were not Syrian nationals. 

In its statement, the SDF firmly rejected these claims as false and unsubstantiated, asserting that they do not reflect any verified facts. The forces explained that relevant departments within the SDF immediately launched a thorough review and investigation of the resident records of al-Hol Camp, including those who left the camp in recent months. 

The investigation found that only Syrian citizens had departed the camp during this period, and their departure occurred at the formal request of the Syrian government. Additionally, Iraqi nationals were repatriated to Iraq based on verified lists provided by Iraqi authorities, which led to their relocation to the Jadaa Camp in Iraq. 

The SDF emphasized that al-Hol Camp hosts the families of ISIS militants—both Syrian and foreign—most of whom are women and children. The camp, they stated, does not harbor any active foreign ISIS operatives, contradicting the ministry spokesperson’s claim that the church attackers were non-Syrians from the camp. 

The statement further underscored that the SDF remains the only Syrian force to have directly battled and defeated ISIS on the ground, most notably in the battle of Baghouz in 2019. The SDF reiterated its continued commitment to counterterrorism in coordination with the International Coalition and expressed readiness to expand these efforts if necessary. 

The SDF concluded by calling on the Syrian government to conduct a transparent and credible investigation into the church bombing and to publicly release the results and supporting evidence in order to prevent the recurrence of such terrorist attacks.