Syrian Rebels Pound Christian Village as Siege Continues

From Captured Hotel, Rebels Shell Neighborhoods

Fighters with the al-Qaeda-run Jabhat al-Nusra faction continue their attacks on the Syrian Christian village of Maaloula today, after attacking yesterday and taking over a mountain-top hotel complex.

Still in control of the complex, the rebels are firing mortars at the village, as other fighters roam the streets on foot attacking Syrian military forces that have been sent to try to oust them.

Local civilians have remains indoors for the past two days, with St. Takla Convent being converted into temporary shelter for locals who had to flee their homes because of the shelling.

Al-Qaeda has accused Syria’s Christian minority of being “pro-Assad,” though as a practical matter they are simply averse to the Islamist-dominated rebels that are constantly attacking them.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.