Church and School Are Shelled: 9 Children Killed and 27 Wounded

(Damascus) Islamist rebels have fired two shells into the predominantly Christian district of Al-Qassaa of Damascus. The Christians' Holy Cross Church and St. John's School were struck. Nine children have died, 27 were injured.

As the news agency Sana reported, the children were in a school bus that had just arrived from school in order to bring them to class. The nearby school and the church were also struck.

According to witnesses, the shells fell in the Holy Cross Church and the St. John School. Already on the 7th of October, the Islamists had shelled the church and next to a Christian school. Samaan, a Christian from Al-Qassaa reports that the Islamists "always work this way. They fire shells, then wait a month and then shoot it again."

In kindergarten, there were no casualties in October, because the attack took place on a Sunday. It was apparently the church and potential church visitors. The attack on the school was on a work day this time and caused a bloodbath.

There is still fighting around the Syrian capital, although Assad made a concession to the rebels in order to include all sides in the Geneva II Peace Conference. In Qudsaya is not being fought over presently. The city is located west of Damascus. It is in rebel hands, but is surrounded by government troops. The concession by President Assad to stop the fighting, freed the trapped people from a hopeless situation. The agreement includes that trucks with food such as flour, wheat, water and milk powder may be brought into the city.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Tempi
Trans: vekron99@hotmail.com
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