Ahlul Bayt News Agency - Two mortar shells hit the building of the Russian embassy in Damascus on Tuesday, causing only material damage.
Spokesperson for the embassy Asyat Ibrahimova told SANA the shells only caused material damage, adding that the embassy is operating as usual.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs vehemently denounced the terrorist attack on its embassy, calling upon the international community and all sides that have influence on the extremists in Syria to put pressure on terrorists as to stop them from committing such crimes and adopting armed violence in general.
The Ministry expressed condemnation of the terrorists and their backers and expressed solidarity with the Syrian authorities in its efforts to counter terrorism on its soil.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the shells were fired from the Jobar district of Damascus, which is controlled by “illegal armed groups.”
“We treat the incident as terrorist act, aimed against the Russian Embassy. We strongly condemn its perpetrators, organizers and instigators. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Syrian authorities in their efforts to combat the terrorist threat in the territory of Syria,” Aleksandr Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, said.
Moscow urged the international community “to give due assessment to the terrorist attack against the Russian diplomatic mission” and demanded “an immediate cessation of such acts” from all parties with influence on the extremists in Syria, he added.
The UN Security Council has strongly condemned “the terrorist attack” against the Russian embassy in Damascus, calling for those responsible to be brought to justice.
“The members of the Security Council recall the fundamental principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and obligations of host governments to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage,” ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lithuania Raimonda Murmokaite told journalists.
“The members of the Security Council underline the need to bring perpetrators of such acts to justice.”
It’s the second time the Russian embassy in Damascus has been shelled this year. The previous incident occurred in January when a shell hit the roof of the consulate’s building.
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