Ki-Moon expresses concern over deliberate attacks on religious sanctities in Syria

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed deep concern over deliberated attacks on religious sanctities in Syria and representatives of the church, and asked for the safety and security of the kidnapped nuns of Thecla convent in Maaloula. On December 2, a takfiri terrorist group attacked the archeological city of Maaloula in Damascus Countryside and perpetrated sabotage acts in the city and broke into Thecla convent and kidnapped the Mother Superior and 12 nuns, SANA reported. In a statement posted on the website of the UN News Center on Tuesday, Ki-Moon voiced UN's strong opposition to the targeting of people based on their religion, religious and ethnic belonging. The statement pointed out that the UN Secretary General joins all the appeals to maintain the safety of the nuns and all the kidnapped in Syria, referring to the necessity for protecting the civilians in Syria. The UN expressed extreme annoyance for targeting the worship places and representatives of the religions in Syria, asserting that those fears have recently increased after kidnapping 12 nuns of Thecla convent in Maaloula.