ASIA/SYRIA - "Living as a Christian in the hell of Aleppo": the
testimony of a priest
http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=32478&lan=eng
2012-10-19
invia articolo printable version preferiti Aleppo (Agenzia Fides) -
Christians in Aleppo are victims of death and destruction due to the
fighting which for months, has been affecting the city. The Christian
neighborhoods, in recent times, have been hit by rebel forces fighting
against the regular army and this has caused an exodus of civilians.
This is what a greek catholic priest in Aleppo says in a heartfelt
message sent to Fides, and Fides prefers to guarantee anonymity for
security reasons.
The message, titled "Living as a Christian in the hell of Aleppo,"
explains: "For a long time the Christians of Aleppo have been living
in neighborhoods close to each other: Sulaymaniyah, Aziziyah, Villas,
Telefon Hawaii, Al Jabiriyah, Al Maydan, Al Surian , Al Tilal. These
areas are currently under the control of the regular Syrian army,
while neighboring areas are occupied by the opposition army. That is
why our neighborhoods are daily objects of bombings and shootings by
snipers among the rebels. The bombings are sometimes blind, without a
purpose, and this causes severe damage to homes, or innocent victims
such as bystanders."
The priest gave Fides the lists of the latest victims in the
community: "Our latest martyrs are Fadi Samir Haddad, Elias Abdel
Nour, Nichan Vartanian, Vartan Karbedjian, Maria Fahmeh and the young
Joëlle Fahmeh, all innocent victims." He then goes on to explianing
the damage to the structures: "the greek catholic Archbishopric in
Tilal was severly damaged, injuring Fr.Imad Daher. The church of San
Michele Arcangelo and an important monastery of nuns in Aziziyya were
also damaged; a pastoral building of the greek-catholic community,
called "The Hope" was hit, killing three people and causing dozens of
casualties among the civilian population ". Even the convent of the
Franciscan fathers in Sulaymaniyah was hit.
Meanwhile, the text continues, "bombs continue to fall on the area of
Almidan, of Armenian majority, launched by armed opposition groups
which is located in Bustan el-Bacha: they have killed several people,
injured so many and destroyed many houses ". Some groups in the rugged
opposition, where there are also jiahadisti groups, "fire on Christian
houses and buildings, to force occupants to escape and then take
possession " the text concludes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/10/2012)
From: Baghdasarian
testimony of a priest
http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=32478&lan=eng
2012-10-19
invia articolo printable version preferiti Aleppo (Agenzia Fides) -
Christians in Aleppo are victims of death and destruction due to the
fighting which for months, has been affecting the city. The Christian
neighborhoods, in recent times, have been hit by rebel forces fighting
against the regular army and this has caused an exodus of civilians.
This is what a greek catholic priest in Aleppo says in a heartfelt
message sent to Fides, and Fides prefers to guarantee anonymity for
security reasons.
The message, titled "Living as a Christian in the hell of Aleppo,"
explains: "For a long time the Christians of Aleppo have been living
in neighborhoods close to each other: Sulaymaniyah, Aziziyah, Villas,
Telefon Hawaii, Al Jabiriyah, Al Maydan, Al Surian , Al Tilal. These
areas are currently under the control of the regular Syrian army,
while neighboring areas are occupied by the opposition army. That is
why our neighborhoods are daily objects of bombings and shootings by
snipers among the rebels. The bombings are sometimes blind, without a
purpose, and this causes severe damage to homes, or innocent victims
such as bystanders."
The priest gave Fides the lists of the latest victims in the
community: "Our latest martyrs are Fadi Samir Haddad, Elias Abdel
Nour, Nichan Vartanian, Vartan Karbedjian, Maria Fahmeh and the young
Joëlle Fahmeh, all innocent victims." He then goes on to explianing
the damage to the structures: "the greek catholic Archbishopric in
Tilal was severly damaged, injuring Fr.Imad Daher. The church of San
Michele Arcangelo and an important monastery of nuns in Aziziyya were
also damaged; a pastoral building of the greek-catholic community,
called "The Hope" was hit, killing three people and causing dozens of
casualties among the civilian population ". Even the convent of the
Franciscan fathers in Sulaymaniyah was hit.
Meanwhile, the text continues, "bombs continue to fall on the area of
Almidan, of Armenian majority, launched by armed opposition groups
which is located in Bustan el-Bacha: they have killed several people,
injured so many and destroyed many houses ". Some groups in the rugged
opposition, where there are also jiahadisti groups, "fire on Christian
houses and buildings, to force occupants to escape and then take
possession " the text concludes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/10/2012)
From: Baghdasarian