Russian Embassy in Damascus falls under mortar attack

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian embassy in Damascus fell under mortar shelling Monday, October 4. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the shelling came from areas controlled by the al-Nusra Front and Faylaq al-Rahman militants, the International Business Times reports.

In a statement cited by Russian news agency Sputnik, the ministry said: “The Russian diplomatic mission came under mortar shelling on October 3. One of the mines exploded on the embassy area near its residential department. Fortunately, no one was wounded. The diplomatic mission sustained material damage. Another two mines went off next to the embassy.”

The ministry also called for a coordinated approach to counterterrorism.

On Monday, the United States and Russia ended a fragile cooperation on Syria after the U.S. said Russia failed to live up to its commitments, which were part of the deal between the two countries.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said of Monday’s shelling: “We view this shelling of the Russian embassy as a consequence of actions of those who, like the U.S. and its allies, provoke the violent conflict in Syria, flirting with militants and extremists of different sorts.”