A mortar strike near a stadium in Damascus has killed a Syrian footballer as he prepared to train.
Youssef Sleiman, who played for Syrian side Al-Wathba, was killed when fighting between rebels and troops in Damascus got too near the stadium.
Sleiman’s side Al-Wathba were preparing for a match with Al-Nawair, but mortars were fired near the Tishreen Stadium where they were due to play. Four players from Al-Nawair were also injured in the attack.
20-year-old player Ali Ghosn was present when the attack started and witnessed the fatal injury that Sleiman sustained.
“We heard the first explosion and the windows were blown off,” Ghosn was quoted as saying on the BBC website.
“Youssef was hit in the neck. We ran out to the corridor when the second explosion struck and I saw Youssef fall down bleeding from his neck.”
There has been months of violence and unrest in Syria and unfortunately this is just one of many times that civilians have been caught up in the fighting.
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