A homicide bomber detonated his device near a church in the Christian quarter of Damascus in a terror attack aimed at killing Christians.

Rebel sources confirmed four people dead in the attack in the Bab Sharqi. The apparently target of the terrorist was the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox church. Neighboring shops were also damaged in the attack.

A silent side to the Syrian civil war, violence against Christians has skyrocketed since March 2011. Bombings and other assaults against churches are now commonplace in Damascus.

The UN estimates that 90,000 people have died and millions displaced by the civil war. Christians have been fleeing the nation in droves because of the increased persecution and terrorist attacks.