A fringe jihadist group, the Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah (Sunni Supporters Brigade), today claimed responsibility for Sunday’s suicide attack on the Prophet Elijah Orthodox Church in Damascus that killed at least 25 worshippers and wounded 63.

In a message posted on social media, the group claimed the attack was in retaliation for what it described as “provocations by Christians in Damascus”. It threatened further attacks, including suicide bombings. In the past, the group had launched threats against Christians, Alawites, Druze, and Shia Muslims.

Syria’s interim president Ahmad al-Sara pledged yesterday that those involved in the “heinous” attack on the church would be brought to justice.

Syria’s Islamist authorities have directly blamed the jihadist group Islamic State for the attack and announced arrests Monday as part of a security operation.

Syrian authorities have accused a member of the jihadist Sunni group of being the perpetrator of the suicide attack on the Prophet Elijah Church.

According to Interior MinisterAnas Hatab, an operation was carried out against “locations of Islamic State terrorist group cell sites”. The ministry said the investigation is continuing and all those guilty will be punished.

But in its statement, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna – which has only a few hundred followers on Telegram – rejected this version, calling it “false and fabricated.”

He claimed responsibility for a February attack in the village of Arzeh in Hamara province and has threatened people linked to the non-governmental organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.