Activists
and residents say Syrian rebels have taken control of parts of an
ancient Christian town in the rugged Qalamoun region near Damascus. . . .
The
resident said hardline Islamic brigades first began attacking Syrian
forces in the town three days ago. He said Maaloula residents fled to
Damascus, fearing rebels would punish them for supporting the government
of Bashar al-Assad and because they are Christians. The resident
requested anonymity, fearing for his safety.
In previous battles, hardline rebels have desecrated churches but largely left Christians alone.
Maaloula is one of three towns where Syrian Christians still speak Aramaic (Jesus’ mother tongue), and was nearly overrun
by rebel units in September. The rebels were driven out by regime
forces, but now more rebels — led, especially in the northern part of
the country, by proudly Islamist groups — are mounting an offensive in the remote area. In the process, rebels apparently today kidnapped twelve Greek Orthodox nuns:
Islamist
rebels have kidnapped a group of nuns from the Greek Orthodox monastery
of St Thecla (Mar Taqla) in Maaloula (north of Damascus). Mgr Mario
Zenari, the Vatican nuncio in Damascus, confirmed the information after
speaking with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate. Through the Vatican
diplomat, the latter “calls on all Catholics to pray for the women
religious.”
“Armed men burst in the monastery of St Thecla in
Maaloula this afternoon. From there, they forcibly took 12 women
religious,” Mgr Zenari said, citing a statement from Patriarchate. The
group of Islamist rebels has apparently taken them to Yabrud, some 80 km
north of the capital. Neither the nuncio nor the church Greek Orthodox
Church know reason behind the kidnapping.
Meanwhile, the U.N. reported on Friday that more than 1 million
children have been made
refugees from their own country by the war the Assad regime began,
making it the worst new refugee crisis in more than two decades.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment