ALEPPO. – As a result of a sniper shot, George Kabandjian was killed on Thursday in Aleppo nearby the Sourp Kevork (Saint George) Armenian Church, Press Secretary Jirair Reisian of the National Primacy of Aleppo of the Armenian Apostolic Church told Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

In his words, mine explosions are heard in the city’s Armenian district ever since Friday morning, but at the moment there is no information on any victims and the damage caused to the district.   

Also, Reisian informed that the armed rebels kidnapped two people, on the Damascus-Aleppo Highway, and one of them is Armenian. But there is no information on them so far.  

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Syrian opposition rebels on Monday stopped a civilian bus, which was heading from Aleppo to Beirut, and took ten people hostage. Seven of the hostages are Armenian and three others are Christian Arabs. The opposition rebels demand the release of their 150 followers and threaten to kill the hostages if their demand is not met within three days.        

The Armenian hostages are Garo Pampalian, Arsen Aroian, Levon Zeytounian, and Bashar and Georges (father and son) Rabat. But the names of the two other hostages and all of their ages are not announced.