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Russia confirms embassy in Damascus shelled from mortars, no casualties reported

Xinhua, October 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Russian embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus was shelled with mortars on Monday with no casualties reported, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday.

"The Russian diplomatic mission in Damascus was caught in mortar shelling on Oct. 3, and one of the mortars exploded in the embassy's territory near a residential complex, causing damage to the embassy's property," the ministry said in a statement. "Two other mortar shells landed near the embassy building, causing no casualties."

According to the statement, the explosion was carried out from the region under control of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Nusra Front, and Faylaq al-Rahman militant groups.

Moscow blamed the shelling on the United States and some of its allies for "provoking the continued bloody conflict in Syria."

Tensions between Russia and the United States over Syria have been escalating recently, with each accusing the other of derailing the ceasefire.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department said Washington was suspending negotiations with Moscow on restoring a cease-fire in the war-battered country. Endi