Saint Tecla Orthodox Convent was invaded by jihadist rebel fighters that abducted twelve nuns from their convent. According to the reports, the jihadist rebels extracted the nuns to the near by city of Yabroud, one of the rebel strongholds.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Damascus, Monsignor Mario Zenari stated that the convent was stormed by jihadist rebels and took mother superior Pelagia Sayyaf and the sisters living there.
Monsignor Mario Zenari was not sure if it was a kidnapping or if they were removed so the rebels could have free-reign and utilize the monastery for “fighting purposes”.
“All we can do is to pray for those nuns, pray that those people who have them in their hands treat them well and it is not a kidnapping,” stated Monsignor Zenari
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Maaloula has been captured by opposition fighters during a joint attack by several rebel groups including the al-Qaida linked Jabhat al-Nusra.
“Violent clashes are taking place in the outskirts between the rebel factions and the regime forces,” stated the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
In a nearby christian convent of Saidnaya the mother superior Febronia Nabhan, said she had a phone call with Sayyaf after the kidnapping and she told her all the sisters were “fine and safe.”
Nabhan said another three women were also abducted along with the twelve sisters.
In November, Pope Francis voiced his apprehensions toward christians living in Syria and he was worried for their safety.
Since the wars that were started in March of 2011 between Syrian government troops and opposition forces, the mass majority of residents do not have a plethora of options, other then to evacuate their historic town.
