Doctors at a hospital treating the wounded have told of chaos and heartbreak after a bomb and gun attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus killed at least 20 and injured 54.
Sunday's assault, the first major terrorist attack since the fall of former president Bashar Al Assad last year, has deeply shaken Syria’s small Christian community.
All staff at Mujtahid Hospital, the capital's most prominent medical centre, were mobilised to deal with the flood of injured churchgoers. The National saw severely wounded patients lying on stretchers with their limbs wrapped in blood-soaked gauze during a visit.
Dr Muhannad Fakhri, a physician at the hospital, said four patients died after being admitted. The emergency ward was gripped by chaos – patients screaming in pain, staff rushing back and forth, and desperate families searching for their loved ones.
“Have you seen him, have you seen Tonios,” one woman asked Dr Fakhri, showing a picture of a young man on her phone.
The doctor shook his head. The man was not being treated in the ward. “You should check the morgue,” he told her.
The young woman's face instantly shut down at Dr Fakhri's words, her hope fading.
Several killed in attack on church in Damascus
Syrian state media reported that a suicide bomber affiliated with ISIS entered the church in the Dweila neighbourhood of the capital, where he opened fire before detonating himself with an explosive vest.
ISIS sleeper cells have reportedly been taking advantage of Mr Assad's removal from power by seizing weapons left unsupervised in the wake of the fall of the regime.
Seven bodies lay in Mujtahid Hospital’s morgue on Sunday, hastily covered in plastic bags. Some had names recorded on pieces of paper: Julia, Mariam; others were unidentified.
It’s heartbreaking for the country. It feels unreal. Every time we take a step forward, we’re pulled back
Dr Muhannad Fakhri
Dr Fakhri said ambulances brought in two bags of unidentified remains, which, based on their weight, were estimated to belong to about four people.
He said 11 patients were still being treated at Mujtahid. The rest were sent to other hospitals.
Syrian hospitals are already struggling with the country’s deep economic crisis, which has pushed nine out of 10 people below the poverty line.
“We only have one X-ray machine for the entire ward. Of course, we could save more lives if we had better equipment,” Dr Fakhri said.
In a society all too familiar with violence and destruction since Mr Al Assad began a brutal crackdown in 2011 on peaceful protests, which spiralled into a devastating civil war, Sunday's harrowing scenes were not a first for Mr Fakhri.
“Sadly, we’re used to it,” he said. “But that wasn’t the case any more. It’s been eight months since the fall of the regime. We thought things had stabilised. But this takes us back to darker days.”
Witnesses told The National at the scene of the blast that at least one suicide bomber started shouting outside the church before setting off an explosive vest inside, and that a second gunman was also present, but did not blow himself up.
“It’s heartbreaking for the country. It feels unreal. Every time we take a step forward, we’re pulled back,” Mr Fakhri said. “I think it’s an attempt to destabilise the government.”
Syria accuses ISIS of suicide attack in Damascus church
The attack comes at a pivotal moment for Syria's new authorities as they seek to win the support of minorities. Many of them have expressed distrust towards the government – led by former members of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham – due to the group’s extremist past.
President Ahmad Al Shara, a former HTS commander turned statesman, has been working to assert control over the country, with his administration conducting widespread anti‑ISIS raids since taking office.
But for Syria’s Christian community, those efforts have fallen short.
“I can never feel safe again,” said Hanna Naqoula, father of a 15‑year‑old boy wounded in the attack. The boy also had a friend at the church, who was killed.
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Rajasthan Royals 158-8 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 143/7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Hotel Silence
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Game Of Thrones Season Seven: A Bluffers Guide
Want to sound on message about the biggest show on television without actually watching it? Best not to get locked into the labyrinthine tales of revenge and royalty: as Isaac Hempstead Wright put it, all you really need to know from now on is that there’s going to be a huge fight between humans and the armies of undead White Walkers.
The season ended with a dragon captured by the Night King blowing apart the huge wall of ice that separates the human world from its less appealing counterpart. Not that some of the humans in Westeros have been particularly appealing, either.
Anyway, the White Walkers are now free to cause any kind of havoc they wish, and as Liam Cunningham told us: “Westeros may be zombie land after the Night King has finished.” If the various human factions don’t put aside their differences in season 8, we could be looking at The Walking Dead: The Medieval Years.
The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
