Comment by the Information and Press Department following the shelling of the Russian Embassy in Damascus

On October 13, at 10:15 am local time, the Russian Embassy compound in Damascus came under a mortar attack. Two shells hit a residential building of the Russian diplomatic mission, causing damage. No one was killed or injured.

We strongly condemn this terrorist attack, which also endangered the participants of a public rally in support of Russia’s actions in Syria, which was being held near the embassy.

This targeted terrorist attack on the Russian Embassy in Damascus stands out for the fact that it came against the backdrop of an irresponsible and aggressive anti-Russian propaganda campaign that was launched in connection with the successful combat operations conducted by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria. We hope that today’s shelling attack, which all but turned into a tragedy, will compel those who are groundlessly accusing us of “indiscriminate” strikes to think.

To reiterate, Russia’s goal in Syria is to eradicate a dangerous seat of terrorism in the country and achieve an early political settlement of the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic in the interest of all the Syrians.

October 13, 2015