Baladi News – Aleppo Countryside (Ziad Al-halabi)
Syrian and Russian air forces bombarded the Church of Saint Simon in Aleppo western countryside with four thermobaric missiles on Saturday, causing widespread destruction to the ancient site.
Ahmed Rashid, a member of the media office of Darat Izza town, said to Baladi News “It is too strange for such a site to be bombed despite the absence of any rebel fighters inside, except for few guards at the main gate to protect the artifacts of theft”.
“No wounds were reported among either civilians or soldiers, because they have no presence at all. This indicates that the war planes deliberately targeted the church to cause destruction, and they did”, the speaker added indicating that “this is not the first time the church is bombed. Rather, the regime has conducted 25 air raids and fired hundreds of shells at it over the last few years.”
In the same context, the Kurdish People's Protection Units in Afrin had also fired mortar shells on the church attempting to take control over it as a strategic elevated point for monitoring the surrounding towns.
Simon Church is a historical building located about 30 km northwest of Aleppo, Syria. It is the oldest surviving Byzantine church, dating back to the 5th century. The old church has survived all the wars that has taken place in the area over its long history. However, there are concerns that such an important site could be destroyed due to indiscriminate bombing by the regime forces.