A suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt in Aleppo, killing one police officer and wounding two others after officers moved in to detain him. Officials say the bomber likely intended to target a church gathering in Bab al-Faraj; no group has claimed responsibility. The attack, hours before the new year, follows a deadly mosque bombing in Homs and comes amid wider instability since the end of Syria’s civil war in late 2024. Authorities have secured the scene and launched an investigation.
Suicide Bomber Kills Police Officer and Wounds Two in Aleppo; Church Gathering Likely Target
Police are trying to restore law and order in the city of Aleppo after years of conflict [Al Jazeera]
A suicide bomber struck a group of Syrian police officers in Aleppo on Wednesday, killing one officer and injuring two others, state news agency SANA reported.
Syria’s Ministry of Interior spokesman Noureddine al-Baba told Al-Ikhbariah TV that the attacker’s original target was likely a church gathering in the Bab al-Faraj neighbourhood. "We were able to thwart this attack, although, unfortunately, the martyrdom of one of our colleagues is a great loss," al-Baba said.
The Aleppo governorate administration said the assailant detonated his explosive belt after officers moved in to detain him. "The relevant authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident and have imposed a security perimeter around the site," the administration added.
Azzam al-Gharib, the provincial governor, said security personnel spotted the suspect while securing New Year’s Eve events and attempted to arrest him. "One of the security officers managed to physically restrain him. At that point, the terrorist detonated his explosive belt," he said. The two wounded officers are receiving hospital treatment; no further details on their condition were provided.
No group has claimed responsibility for the Aleppo suicide blast so far.
The attack came just hours before the new year and follows a bombing at an Alawite mosque in Homs on Friday that reportedly killed at least eight people. The incidents are part of a broader pattern of instability since the end of Syria’s long civil war in late 2024, when opposition forces took control of Damascus and the previous government collapsed.
Security challenges around the country have included deadly communal clashes in coastal regions, strikes by U.S. forces targeting ISIL remnants after the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian translator, and clashes between government-aligned forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast. In southern Syria, reports say Israeli forces have expanded operations beyond the Golan Heights, including checkpoints and raids in some towns.
Authorities in Aleppo have sealed off the blast site while investigations continue. Officials urged residents to remain calm and to report any information that might assist investigators.
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