Security forces in northern Syria thwarted an attempted bombing at Mar Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in Aleppo after a suspicious bag containing explosives fell from a hearse entering the church grounds, according to statements from church officials and local security authorities.
The Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo said the incident occurred Wednesday morning as a funeral vehicle transported the body of a parishioner into the cathedral in the Suleimaniyeh district for burial prayers. Church guards became alarmed after a small object wrapped in a black bag and sealed with transparent tape fell from the vehicle near the cathedral entrance.
According to the archdiocese’s statement, guards initially assumed the object belonged to the hearse. The driver, however, denied any connection to the bag, prompting church officials to contact police and security services.
Authorities immediately sealed off nearby roads and restricted pedestrian access while explosives specialists examined the object. The archdiocese later confirmed that surveillance footage showed the bag had fallen from the hearse itself after the vehicle had reportedly been parked overnight on a nearby street.
Explosives Found Inside the Bag
Aleppo Internal Security officials told local sources that the suspicious package contained several bombs. Authorities said security personnel secured the scene before transferring the explosives to specialized units for controlled destruction.
Officials added that investigators have not yet determined who placed the explosives inside the vehicle or how the bag entered the hearse unnoticed. Video footage circulated on social media appeared to capture the moment the bag fell onto the street as the vehicle approached the cathedral.
The footage also showed a church guard approaching the object moments before security forces intervened and evacuated the area. In a statement issued Wednesday evening, the archdiocese thanked security personnel for what it described as a “quick and professional” response that prevented potential casualties or damage inside the church compound.
Fears Renewed After Earlier Attacks
The incident has renewed anxiety among Aleppo’s Christian community following several attacks targeting churches and security forces in recent years. According to reports cited by Al Jazeera, a suicide bombing on New Year’s Eve in Aleppo killed a member of Syria’s Internal Security Forces and wounded several others after police intercepted a suspect near the city’s historic Christian districts.
Authorities said at the time the attacker had been heading toward a church area near Bab al-Faraj before detonating explosives during a pursuit. The latest security scare also revived memories of the bombing at St. Elias Church in Damascus’ Duwaila neighborhood in June 2015.
That attack killed 25 worshipers and injured about 60 others during a religious service. The bombing drew widespread condemnation and prompted renewed calls for tighter security around churches and religious gatherings across Syria. Christian leaders in Aleppo urged authorities to maintain stronger security measures around places of worship, particularly during funerals, holidays and large public gatherings.
Christian majority areas containing historic churches, typically see increased security deployments during celebrations. While authorities continue investigating Wednesday’s incident, church officials said the swift response likely prevented a potentially deadly attack inside one of Aleppo’s largest Christian cathedrals.
