St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church Terrorist Attack Stopped in Aleppo, Syria

ISIS Plot Targeting Churches Foiled Near St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in Aleppo

On New Year’s Eve, Syrian security forces in Aleppo stopped what authorities described as a planned terrorist attack targeting churches and civilian gatherings during the holiday celebrations.

What happened in Aleppo

According to officials, officers noticed a suspicious man near St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church while security patrols were deployed for New Year’s festivities. When officers attempted to detain him, the suspect detonated an explosive belt.

One security officer was killed and two others were wounded.

Authorities: churches were among the intended targets

Syrian authorities said ISIS (Daesh) was behind the plan and that Christians and churches were among the intended targets. For the Chaldean community, the concern is immediate and personal: churches are more than places of worship—they’re often the last reliable public spaces where families still feel a sense of safety and normalcy.

Why this hits the Chaldean community especially hard

St. Joseph’s is a historic anchor for Chaldean Catholics in Aleppo. But the Chaldean Catholic community there—once estimated around 35,000—has dwindled to fewer than 5,000 in recent years, reflecting the hardship facing Chaldeans and other Christians in Syria after years of violence, instability, and displacement.

That reality is what makes incidents like this so unsettling: when a community has already lost so much, even a foiled attack reinforces the feeling that what remains is still under threat.

What we know—and what we’re still watching

At this time, authorities describe the incident as part of a foiled ISIS-linked plot. Details may continue to evolve as investigations progress and more official statements are released.

Chaldean Press will continue to follow updates as information is confirmed.