June 16, 2013 - Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Andrew Bennett, today condemned the attack on a Shiite mosque in eastern Syria:
“This attack reflects a disturbing rise in sectarian violence in the region resulting from the war in Syria. The targeting of religious communities, including Shiite, Sunni and Christian civilians, by extremist elements who are exploiting the chaos of war is a deeply worrying trend that we are watching closely.
“The targeting of people and their places of worship, whatever the source, cannot be tolerated and must end. These kinds of attacks seek to pit Syria’s diverse communities against one another.
“The opposition must show that it offers a genuine democratic alternative to the despotism of the Assad regime. Canada urges the Syrian opposition to unreservedly condemn the targeting of religious communities.”
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