(ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, August 6 - Gunmen attacked the Catholic
monastry of Mar Musa, north of Damascus. The old monastery, that
dates from the fourth century, had been sacked but no casualties
had been reported to Ansa by sources close the Italian Jesuit
founder of the monastic community, father Paolo Dall'Oglio.
Sources affirm that nobody within the monastery had been hurt or assaulted, but "the gunmen stole everything they could steal", including tractors and other agricultural and farming tools.
Last February and April the monastery had already been targeted by gunmen. Father dall'Oglio,who lived in Syria for the last 30 years, had been invited to leave the country in June, right after his statements that favour "a genuine national reconciliation".
Father Dall'Oglio expressed "deep distress" for having being attacked, and "deep regret for all the lost work,relief because there were no casualties, solidarity with the monastic community and the hope for a better future in the near future".
(ANSAmed).
Sources affirm that nobody within the monastery had been hurt or assaulted, but "the gunmen stole everything they could steal", including tractors and other agricultural and farming tools.
Last February and April the monastery had already been targeted by gunmen. Father dall'Oglio,who lived in Syria for the last 30 years, had been invited to leave the country in June, right after his statements that favour "a genuine national reconciliation".
Father Dall'Oglio expressed "deep distress" for having being attacked, and "deep regret for all the lost work,relief because there were no casualties, solidarity with the monastic community and the hope for a better future in the near future".
(ANSAmed).
