Region | Syria

Syrian government orders closure of American school, cultural centre

The Syrian government ordered an American school and a US cultural centre in Damascus closed on Tuesday in response to a deadly US attack on a village near the Iraq border, the state-run news agency said.

  • AP
  • Published: 11:16 October 29, 2008
  • Gulf News

Damascus: The Syrian government ordered an American school and a US cultural centre in Damascus closed on Tuesday in response to a deadly US attack on a village near the Iraq border, the state-run news agency said.

Syria's government was reacting to an attack by U.S. troops in four helicopters that killed eight people Sunday in a building inside Syria, near the border with Iraq. The Cabinet decoded to shut the institutions at a meeting headed by Prime Minister Naji Otari.

Ministers of education and culture were instructed to implement the move, Sana said.

Outside the Damascus Community School, known popularly as the "American School," in the upscale Maliki neighbourhood, activities seemed normal.

Drivers waited outside the building to pick up the foreign, mostly Arab pupils as they left for home shortly before sunset.

Several students and a foreign teacher said they were not aware of the closure order and declined to comment further. Parents said they were to be briefed on the situation later.

A Syrian employee at the cultural centre said he expected staff to show up Wednesday since they had not been told not to.

The school and the cultural centre, which is linked to the US embassy, cater to the small American community in the Syrian capital and other foreign residents.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

Related Articles

  1. US raid: Syria lodges protests with UN

    Syria lodges protests with UN over US raid

  2. Syria denies Al Qaida operative targeted

    Syria denies Al Qaida operative targeted

    Syria denies Al Qaida operative targeted in US cross-border raid

  3. Raids in Syria and Pakistan suggest new US stance

    Raids in Syria and Pakistan suggest new US stance

  4. Major smuggler killed in US attack

    Major smuggler killed in US attack

    Officials confirm death of top Al Qaida member during US attack on Syria

  5. Iraq says attacks targeted insurgents

    Iraq says attacks targeted insurgents

  6. US attack linked to election: analysts

    US attack linked to election: analysts

    US attack on Syria linked to election, say analysts

  7. Iran: US military raid 'unacceptable'

    Iran: US military raid 'unacceptable'

More from Syria

  1. Syria urges firm US plan on peace

  2. Jolie to adopt baby from Syria

  3. Syria denies role in presence of fighters in Iraq

  4. Damascus Film Festival fails to woo the critics

All articles in Syria

More from Region

Gulf News
Popular in News
News Editor's choice