Hundreds of Christian families flee Aleppo as rebels advance

April 08, 2013

As rebels in Syria seek to take control of Aleppo, the nation’s largest city, a Jordanian Islamic cleric has issued a fatwa (legal opinion) stating that it is permissible for rebel fighters to rape women who are not Sunni Muslims.

More than 300 Christian families have fled an Aleppo district following its takeover by rebels, and “at least 120 Christians have found refuge in the house of the Marist brothers,” according to Father David Fernandez, a Divine Word missionary in the area.

 

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Further information:

• In Aleppo Christians fleeing rebel-held areas. A fatwa "authorizes" to rape women who are not Sunni (Fides)
• Islamic cleric decrees it OK for Syrian rebels to rape women (Washington Times)