Syria: Christians killed in new bomb attack

Archbishop Hindo

At least three people were killed and 10 others wounded last night in a bomb attack in Syria's northeastern Kurdish city of Qamishli. The attack took place in the mostly Christian neighbourhood and was carried out with a motorcycle bomb. The blast hit a restaurant in 'Miami Street'.

"All three of the victims are Christians: a Chaldean and two Syrian Orthodox" Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo, head of the Syrian Catholic archdiocese in Hassakè-Nisibis said in a statement. "At the moment there are rumors that say ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. But there are those who link the attacks to the recent clashes between Kurdish militias, who aim to control the neighbourhood, and the self-defense groups 'Sootoro' who are active, and are composed of young Christians, Syrians and Assyrians, who are active in that neighborhood. So many people think that behind the bombing there could also be Kurdish masterminds and executors.

"It is another disturbing factor of this war: there is terrorism, but sometimes we do not know who really terrifies us."

The funeral of the three victims will be held this afternoon. On 20 December attacks on two restaurants in Qamishli belonging to Christians, claimed the lives of 13 Christians and six Muslims.

Recently, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem II went to Qamishli, in the northeastern Syrian governorate of Hassakè, in an effort to mediate between the Kurdish militias and the self-defense groups Sootoro.

Source: Fides