YEREVAN—His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has severely criticized a recent terrorist attack at the doorstep of the Holy Translators Armenian National School in Damascus, which claimed the lives of two children and injured tens of others. His Holiness described this vicious crime against an educational establishment “unacceptable” and emphasized that Christian communities are being targeted in the Syria conflict.
The Catholicos offered condolences to the families and friends of the victims, underlining that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin will maintain its support to the Syrian Armenians.
On November 17 a requiem service will be offered at the Mother Cathedral for the peace of the souls of the victims and for the establishment of peace in Syria.
On Monday, November 11, mortar fire struck a school bus in front of the Armenian school as children were boarding to go home.
The two young victims were identified as 6-year-old Hovhannes Atokhanian, a first grader at the school, and Vanessa Mikho Bedros, a third grader.
On the same day, mortar rounds also hit St. John of Damascus, another Christian community school in Damascus.
“The toll in the terrorist targeting of the St. John of Damascus school with mortar rounds has risen to five dead, all of them children, and 27 injured,” a news alert on Syrian state television said.
As long as Assad refuses to step down these kinds of tragedies will happen over and over. The only solution is a transition, otherwise this conflict will continue on indefinitely. Neither side can win unless one side decides to put an end to the suffering by stepping aside. The only fighting group capable of this is the Assad regime. Whether we accept it or not, that is the only solution. If you believe otherwise, I then suggest all Armenians move away from the conflict zone because this war will go on for many many more years to come.