“God have mercy on Syria,” sang the congregation at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Dormition in Damascus this weekend. But miles away, in a historic village nestled on the slopes of the Qalamoun Mountains north of the Syrian capital, there was little sign of any mercy.
Latest reports from Syrian opposition groups on Sunday said rebels – including militants from the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group – have gained control of Maaloula, a Christian village famed for preserving its ancient customs – including Aramaic, the presumed language of Jesus.
Declining security and restrictions on the independent media make it difficult to verify reports from the isolated village. But Sunday’s accounts came days after Maaloula residents confirmed that a number of rebel brigades had entered the village on Wednesday.
"This highlights the fears of the Christian community here in Syria." - FRANCE 24's Lucy Fielder reporting from Damascus.
By Friday, Maaloula residents told FRANCE 24 the rebels had withdrawn from the village, which clings precariously to a dramatic mountain ridge northeast of Damascus.
But by Sunday, fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra, backed by another group, the Qalamoun Liberation Front, moved into Maaloula after heavy clashes with the army, according to Rami Abdulrahman of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“Regime forces entered Maaloula, where snipers were already positioned. They made propaganda videos, which were then broadcast by pro-regime media,” explained Abdulrahman in an interview with FRANCE 24. “In response to this provocation, rebel fighters stormed Maaloula. Army troops then left the town and positioned themselves around it.”
Reporting from Damascus, FRANCE 24’s Lucy Fielder said that while it was difficult to confirm reports that rebels had taken full control of the village, “a [Syrian] government source told us there was indeed fierce fighting this morning and that the rebels were led by Jabhat al-Nusra.”
The isolated village of Maaloula is not a particularly strategic site, according to analysts, but it has a symbolic value.
“The army is seen by the Christians as their protector against the extremist parts of the Islamic opposition,” explained Fielder. “So, the army’s not likely to just leave it in the hands of Jabhat al-Nusra. I think we can expect to see much more fighting and perhaps for this to become more of a battleground in the coming days.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20130908-syria-christian-village-maaloula-rebels-qaeda-battleground
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