EU slams 'heinous and cowardly' Damascus church

The EU on Monday condemned as "heinous" a deadly weekend suicide attack on a Damascus church, saying the bloc "stands in solidarity" with Syria in combatting ethnic and religious violence.

"This heinous and cowardly violence against Christians is an attack against all Syrians," said a statement from EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El Anouni on the attack, blamed by Syrian authorities on the Islamic State group.

"It is a grave reminder of the need to intensify efforts against the terrorist threat and to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh and other terrorist organisations," El Anouni said, using an alternative name for IS.