Italy’s envoy to take up Russian attack on Italian charity school in Syria with authorities in Moscow

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Italy’s Ambassador to Moscow Cecilia Piccioni is scheduled to meet with the Russian Foreign Ministry officials on Monday about the Russian forces' attack on an Italian charity school in Aleppo, Syria.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani asked Ambassador Piccioni to discuss the Russian attack on the Terra Sancta Franciscan College in Aleppo, which caused material damage, with the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

Tajani said Italy is “closely monitoring the developments in the crisis, and Italy’s Damascus Embassy is in constant contact with the citizens (mostly dual citizens) to facilitate safe evacuation from the city,” his ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday.

Piccioni was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Ministry officials before the attack on the charity school, the Italian Foreign Ministry statement said, adding that she will request Moscow to refrain from new military strikes on religious institutions or civilian structures in Aleppo and other regions.

Separately, Tajani said on X that the Russian strike seriously damaged the Terra Sancta College and called on all belligerent parties in Syria to “protect civilian populations.”

He vowed to continue to support Italian nationals in Syria.

In the western countryside of Aleppo, northern Syria, clashes erupted on Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and opposition armed groups.

Between Nov. 27 and 28, opposition forces rapidly advanced from the western outskirts of Aleppo toward the city center, capturing large portions of it by Nov. 30.