Russia says its embassy in Damascus was shelled
The Russian Foreign Ministry said its embassy compound in the Syrian capital of Damascus has come under shelling from rebel groups, with one mortar landing and exploding near the residential compound and two more by the embassy building.
The ministry said no one was harmed and blamed the attack on two rebel groups, including al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria which was formerly known as the Nusra Front.
The situation in Syria has deteriorated considerably since the collapse of a US-Russia-brokered cease-fire two weeks ago. The ministry said the attack is the result of a US policy and its allies which "provokes further bloodshed in Syria."
