After
the conversion, Hagia Sophia will get a miniature replica of itself but not in
Turkey this time. The Syrian regime has announced plans to build a replica of
Istanbul’s grand mosque, Hagia Sophia after Turkey decided to convert this
UNESCO world heritage site into a mosque.
Bashar
al-Assad, the President of Syria, has decided to take help of Russia to build
the grand structure. Russia has been one of the strongest allies of Assad and
has agreed to assist in building the mini Hagia Sophia in Hama to show the
importance of "peaceful dialogue" between faiths, Al-Rai Al-Youm reported.
According
to the Lebanon-based news outlet Al-Modon,
the idea for the building was initiated by a man named Nabeul Al-Abdullah, the
head of a pro-regime loyalist militia within the province. After gaining the
approval of the metropolitan bishop of the Greek Orthodox church in Hama,
Nicolos Baalbaki, the plans were then presented to the Russian military within
Syria.
Further
details in the report revealed that the replica is to be built specifically in
the Greek Orthodox-majority city of Al-Suqaylabiyah, on a piece of land donated
by the militia leader Al-Abdullah; a Russian team within Latakia’s Hmeimim
military base is reportedly already working on plans for the construction. According
to the Arabic-language newspaper Rai
Al-Youm, Russian lawmaker Vitaly Milonov made a strong remark on Turkey
saying that Syria is the ideal location for the mini Hagia Sophia replica
because “unlike Turkey, it is a country that clearly shows the possibility of
peaceful and positive interfaith dialogue.”
This
move is being touted as revenge from the Syrian side to Turkey against whom the
former is fighting a civil war. As a go ahead for the structure, militia leader
Al-Abdullah donated a piece of land on which the structure will be built.
Through this the militia leader hopes to strengthen his ties with Russia in
case the Assad government falls.
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