Mortars Hit Russian Embassy in Damascus, Seven Injuries Reported

The Syrian civil war has seen most of the news centered around the fighting in Raqqa and along the Israeli border. But on Sunday the war came to Damascus, although in a limited way as one of the forces opposing President Assad dropped two mortar rounds at the Russian Embassy in Damascus.

One of mortar rounds landed in the embassy compound, another fell nearby but no injuries were reported by either Russian or Syrian news outlets. No one has yet claimed responsibility. The United States and Turkey support different groups trying to oust Assad from power while the Islamic State has also been heavily involved in the fighting.

The state-run SANA news agency on July 16 said two shells were fired at the Russian Embassy, with one hitting the compound and the other falling nearby.

SANA said at last seven people were injured by shelling in a residential area near the embassy grounds, although it was not known if that was related to the embassy attack or a separate event.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the shelling. Rebels fighting the government of Moscow-backed President Bashar al-Assad have previously struck the Russian Embassy.

The United States and Turkey back differing rebel groups in Syria’s civil war, while Russia and Iran support Assad.

Islamic State (IS) extremists have also entered the conflict and are opposed by the other combatants.

Earlier in the day, a bomb exploded near a hospital in the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib, wounding five people, including at least two children, according to the Syrian Civil Defense group, known as the White Helmets.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights released a report on Sunday putting the total deaths thus far in the civil war at over 330,000 with nearly 100,000 of them civilians.

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Photo courtesy Russian Embassy