Ancient Syria synagogue is damaged by mortar shells

A synagogue in Damascus dating back 2,000 years has been damaged by mortar fire, it was reported today.

Syria’s historic monuments have increasingly become a casualty of the civil war with ancient markets, mosques and churches across the country under threat.

The Jobar Synagogue, one of the oldest in the world, is inside a run-down outer district of Damascus. Built in honour of the prophet Elijah, it is now on the front line of fighting between rebels and government troops.

Forces fighting to overthrow president Bashar al-Assad began moving into Jobar last July and the area has suffered heavy shelling from government air strikes and artillery.

Pro-Assad groups blame rebels for damage to Syria’s heritage, while the opposition blames the government. Video has shown both sides destroying ancient castles and shrines with shelling, gun battles and targeted explosions.

It comes after the deadliest month in the two-year conflict. March saw 6,005 killed in the fighting, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The group said victims included at least 291 women, 298 children, 1,486 rebel fighters and army defectors, and 1,464 government troops, while the other casualties were unidentified civilians and fighters.

The anti-regime group said the total toll was much higher than the 62,554 deaths that have been documented because it was so difficult to verify figures. “We estimate it is actually around 120,000 people,” Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told Reuters.

“Many death tolls are more difficult to document so we are not officially including them yet.”

The UN says that since the war began more than 70,000 people have died.