Syria's Interior Ministry says the sleeper cell behind a deadly church explosion near Damascus belonged to the Islamic State group.

Sunni extremist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claims responsibility for a Damascus church bombing that killed 25, challenging the Syrian government's assertion of ISIS involvement.

DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syrian Christians were struggling on Monday to understand why their community was targeted in a suicide attack and whether they can rely on the Islamist-led government's assurances of protection.