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Allegations about Syria’s construction of nuclear reactor harms Der Spiegel’s reputation

“Damascus has already voiced its reaction on that matter, we can only regret about the blow to the reputation of the serious magazine," Russia's Foreign Ministry said

© ITAR-TASS/Gennady Khamelyanin

MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. An article in German’s Der Spiegel alleging that the Syrian government is building a nuclear reactor harms the reputation of this serious publication, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

“Damascus has already voiced its reaction on that matter,” the ministry said. “We can only regret about the blow to the reputation of the serious magazine from such unserious publications.”

Last week, Der Spiegel published an article alleging that a reactor was being built in a hard-to-reach Al-Qusayr area, some 30 kilometers off the Lebanese border. This secret military facility, according to Der Spiegel, is allegedly guarded by Hezbollah gunmen fighting on the side of the Syrian army.

On January 12, Syria’s government news agency SANA refuted this report. “This information is an absolute lie,” SANA said, citing a government source. “Syria refutes these allegations and considers them as part of a slander campaign unleashed by anti-Damascus regional and international parties via contracted media.”

Tags

Foreign policy Russian Foreign Ministry Syria

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