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[11 Sept 2013] Syrian army regains more land in Ma\'lula - English

[08 Sept 2013] Insurgents have reportedly taken control of the ancient Christian village of Ma\\\'lula in Syria - English

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria have kidnapped 12 nuns from a convent in the Christian town of Ma\'lula. Local authorities say the insurgents have taken the nuns to the nearby town of Yabrud. There is no word on the fate of the nuns, but militants are usually known to kill people they kidnap. The insurgents have entered Ma\'lula several months after they were pushed out of the historic town. The Syrian army has been battling the insurgents in the regions near the capital Damascus. The army has cleared many towns and villages of the insurgents. Sources close to the militants have admitted that government forces have been making significant gains near Damascus and elsewhere in the country.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated militants have vandalized churches in the Damascus countryside of Ma\'lula. That\'s according to the secretariat of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The militants have reportedly removed the bells of all the churches, burned the crosses, and stolen the bronze statue of Christ. The ancient Christian town of Ma\'lula has been the site of fierce fighting for months now, and thousands of its residents have fled to safer parts of the country including Damascus. Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front insurgents stormed the Orthodox Mar Takla convent in the town in December and abducted several nuns. Christians make up about 10 percent of Syria\'s population. The religious minority and its holy sites have been subjected to numerous attacks by militants since the outbreak of violence Syria in 2011.

[15 Apr 2014] Al-Manar TV staff killed by militants in Syria on Monday - English