MID Concerned Over Danger to Christian Holy Sites in Ma’loula and the Threatened Massacre of its Inhabitants

On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) expressed concern about the attempts of Syrian rebel forces to seize the city of Ma’loula, which is a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria. A statement from its Information Department stated, “The fact that terrorist attacks threaten Ma’loula distresses Moscow profoundly, as it’s a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria. It’s well to remember that its residents speak the almost-extinct Aramaic language, the language that Jesus Christ used for his sermons; some of the most ancient and revered Christian churches in the world are in this town”. The MID called for a general effort to bring the danger facing Ma’loula and its people to the world’s attention, “to make every possible effort to prevent violence to its inhabitants and to prevent the destruction of its Christian holy places. It’s necessary for us to put an end to terrorist attacks against it immediately. A particular responsibility for this threat is borne by those, both in the region and outside it, who, willingly or unwittingly, encouraged terrorists”.

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