Damascus under mortar bombardment

Several districts of Syria’s capital have been bombarded by mortar shells on Monday. According to initial reports, two shells exploded near the Tishreen Palace, residence for the President of Syria in Muhajreen district. The shell landed in a park in direct vicinity of the president’s residents. Nearby upscale Al Malki neighborhood, housing several diplomatic missions, including China’s and Iraq’s embassies, was also bombed by militants. The attack resulted in a fire which spread to a residential building and parked cars near the Iraqi residence. Last Thursday a mortar shell landed on the territory of the Iraqi embassy in Damascus. According to Al Arabiya TV channel reports, the only victim of the incident became a female citizen of Iraq. The shell hit the visitors’ hall of the diplomatic mission, injuring three people. China’s embassy and its adjacent territory was also bombed. According China’s Central Television, explosion of one mortar shell in the bujilding’s courtyard lightly injured one employees. The diplomatic mission shortly shut down; employees were not evacuated, though. Another incident happened in Jdeidet Artouz, where a car bomb exploded, killing three and injuring ten.