Syria

Assad pays homage to teachers, students killed by Syrian militants

hbeig20130320215749970

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has paid homage to teachers and students killed in terrorist attacks by foreign-backed militants in the country.

On Wednesday, Assad paid a surprise visit to an educational center in the al-Tijara neighborhood of Damascus on the occasion of the national Teacher’s Day, and met with the families of the teachers and students killed by the militants, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported.

“Today Syria as a whole is wounded… there is no one that didn’t lose one of his/her relatives, a brother, father or a mother… but all of this wouldn’t equal the loss of a son, nevertheless, what happens to us couldn’t make us weak and the battle is a battle of will and steadfastness,” President Assad said.

He said that Syria will “remain strong in the face of ignorance” by following the path of the “teachers and martyrs” who lost their lives during the country’s unrest that began in March 2011.

Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence, and several international human rights organizations say the foreign-sponsored militants have committed war crimes.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants fighting the Syrian government are foreign nationals.

Back to top button